Metro North delay ‘body blow’ for Ballymun

LAST week’s
decision to defer the Metro North project has been described as a

“major body
blow

? for the Ballymun Regeneration Project.

Local councillor,
Paul McAuliffe (FF), predicted that the decision would mean the serious delay
of other investment projects in the area including the proposed new Ballymun
shopping centre and the M50 Wet Labs.

“The Metro
North project which has already consumed almost

?¬200 million could have relied
more heavily on private funding rather than Government capital spending and
therefore should have been given the green light,

? he said.

“The Railway
Procurement Agency has estimated that more than 3,600 jobs might have been
created and in a time of increasing unemployment it seems crazy to turn down
that sort of job creation opportunity.

?

Cllr McAuliffe
said the timing of the Northside infrastructural cuts was particularly
disappointing as it came ahead of this week’s International conference in
Dublin City University entitled

‘The Green Way -Ireland’s Cleantech cluster’.

“This job
creation project which, last year, was accepted as being one of the top 30 cleantech projects in the world
last year, relies heavily on the infrastructural projects along the Metro North
line including the DIT Grangegorman campus which also received a Government
delay notice,

? he explained.

In better news
for Ballymun last week, Labour Party TD, John Lyons, welcomed an announcement
of

?¬4.6 million in funding to begin work on 25 new homes in the area.

“Following a
visit to Ballymun with me, Minister for Housing Willie Penrose, announced this
funding to start work on what is known as the Coultry 6 development,

? said
Deputy Lyons.

“These 25 homes
will allow for further de-tenanting of the original flats which is very welcome
news for those waiting on new homes.

“They will also
complete the redevelopment around Coultry Park, to take another step towards
finishing the Ballymun Regeneration project.

“I want to
thank the Minister for coming to Ballymun to see first-hand the status of the
redevelopment and to talk to those involved in on-going works.

“I was pleased
to be able to show him around the remaining Sillogue blocks and the Sillogue 4
development, where works are underway to remove pyrite.

?

Deputy Lyons
said the minister had also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to completing
the BRL project.

“I will be
working with the Minister to see the Ballymun Regeneration project completed
for the people of Ballymun and to address housing issues across Dublin North
West,

? he added.