Dublin - Metrolink (Swords to Charlemont only)

I do laugh at these government organisations, objecting and delaying government backed projects, essentially using tax payers money without a care in the world.

A few trees being knocked and monuments being moved should largely be ignored considering the greater good of this project.

OPW are responsible for maintaining the park. As such, they have a duty to raise any issues that the project may cause for the park.

That's not the same as "objecting". They're asking if the designers are 100% sure that they haven't exhausted other options that could be even less destructive than what's in the plan.

TII has already been through this process already with OPW during the design phase, and from everything I've read, there is no hard objection to Metrolink going to come from OPW, but OPW is still obliged to raise these questions publicly.. if only to show that it isn't just letting anyone do anything they want to with public lands.

(I am hoping that the Trinity story is similar.. a public show that they have already done their job in minimising the impacts of the project)

I gather there have been a lot of background discussions with OPW. I attended the first day of the hearing and the OPW spoke briefly and they said that there were active discussions happening between themselves and TII.

Stephen’s Green is a National Monument which means that the Minister/Dept for Housing, LG & Heritage must grant permission for any development to or near it.

Does a Railway Order override this if granted by ABP?

Too many layers of bullshit in this country, no wonder everything happens a snails pace.

Why are these people being consulted? What does McDowell, a barrister and career politician know about developing public transport projects?

Same as McCarthy an economist who only sees the project as a rail link to the Airport from City Centre rather than a new rail line that services other parts of Dublin and connects new suburbs of Dublin to other transport services.

It's ok for them to ask questions but they should not be reaching conclusions as they have other motives and it's not their area of expertise.

They made a submission to the planning application, and that entitles them to make a submission at the oral hearing. That’s democracy.

It doesn’t mean that ABP will agree with them.

Just to be clear, I have absolutely no time for either of them regarding transport.

But it is up to the NTA and advocates for public transport to get the counter argument out there and fight back.

The coverage this week is purely what they said at the ABP oral hearing, which like it or not is their democratic right.

I am not disagreeing with you.

But ABP decided that there would be an oral hearing, and anyone can have their say at that hearing once they had made their initial submission to the railway order application.

The newspapers are simply reporting what has happened at the hearings each day - reports on objections sells papers. That’s a fact of life.

ABP have to let them have their say as they have made a submission, but that doesn’t mean that they will be given any more consideration when they come to making their final decision.

Now now... thats not quite fair. Its not at a snails pace. They just never happen...

They may yet to be heard. Olivia Kelly in the Irish Times reckoned the hearing could take up to six weeks.

I don’t know about that. Stephen’s Green is a National Monument, with the same level of protection as the Rock of Cashel (for example)

imagine if the proposal was to demolish and move around a part of the Rock?! It’d be a big deal.