Residents angered by DART decision

THE decision to grant approval to the DART Underground
project, which was shelved by the Government some months ago, has been
described as a

“kick in the teeth

? for the residents of East Wall.

An Bord Pleanála recently granted the railway order to
allow the DART project to go ahead.

The approved 7.6km underground line would link Heuston
Station to the DART line for the first time, with underground stations at
Spencer Dock, Pearse Station, St Stephen’s Green, Christchurch and Heuston
Station, as well as East Wall.

According to North Inner City ward councillor Nial
Ring (Ind), local residents feel that their submission and views fell on deaf
ears.

“The railway order gives Iarnrod Eireann everything
they asked for and, notwithstanding the professional and passionate input at
the oral hearing by residents of East Wall and Inchicore, their concerns, fears
and requests were ignored,

? he said.

“The residents feel betrayed by An Bord Pleanala
insofar as their efforts in putting together hundreds of submissions, attending
the oral hearing, firstly in Tallaght and then in Croke Park, and speaking to
the inspector at the hearing, were effectively set aside and ignored.

“Many residents described the outcome as an act of
betrayal and the whole process as a charade.

?

In November, the Government announced that it would
not go ahead with the underground line, which has a price tag of about e1.2
billion, within the current capital programme, which lasts until 2016.

However, as the project wasn’t axed completely the
oral hearing for the DART Underground continued and the railway order was
granted on December 15.

The order allows for the line to be substantially
constructed within a 10-year period which would mean that work on the line
would have to get underway in 2015 at the latest.

Iarnród �ireann was also allowed seven years to
activate compulsory purchase orders for the land needed for the line, instead
of the usual 18 months that is awarded.

This timescale has further angered those opposed to
the project.

“The fact that the project has been postponed
indefinitely by the Government means that the residents now have a long-term
weight hanging over them in the form of the railway order,

? added Cllr Ring.

“I have written to the planning board seeking
clarification on the validity and legality of the order and its expiry date.

?

The board’s inspector recommended that the scheme be
approved, saying the negative impacts were

“far outweighed by the positive

?.