Principal expresses MetroLink concerns

Tony McCullagh

YOUNG lives and education will be put at risk and a community will be destroyed if the proposed Northside route for MetroLink proceeds as planned, a school principal in Glasnevin has warned.

Marcella Nic Niallaigh, principal of Scoil Mobhí, outlined her fears at a Joint Committee meeting on Transport, Tourism and Sport at the Houses of the Oireachtas last week. She said the school had grave concerns regarding the NTA and TII proposal to establish a tunnel boring machine launch site, support works and station on a site sharing its perimeter with the school, a naíonra (Irish pre-school) and a secondary school.

She said the proposed site is to run the full length of the school yard and will be only some five metres from the inside of the Junior Infants’ classroom. 

The massive construction site is expected to be required for at least six years.

However, Ms Nic Niallaigh claimed there would be major health and safety implications for children and staff if the project proceeds as planned and believes it is unprecedented for a construction of this type and scale to be sited so close to a primary school.

“We have major health concerns due to the likelihood of dust, diesel emissions, noise and vibrations – and those same factors will make effective education impossible throughout the construction,” she said. “The school has major safety concerns too. Large construction sites and heavy machinery have always attracted the curiosity of children and, having a site such as this sharing its perimeter with a naíonra, a primary school and a secondary school is nothing less than an invitation for a tragic accident.”

Ms Nic Niallaigh also pointed out that the school community is not just concerned with the scale of the works envisaged, but at loss of vehicular access to the school and all its parking facilities for staff and parents

Ms Nic Niallaigh believes the proposed construction site will destroy a unique Irish language community

“Over the past 60 years, countless individuals, often working in a voluntary capacity, have built an Irish language and cultural hub on this site, of which Scoil Mobhí is an integral part,” she said. “It includes an Irish medium naíonra, bunscoil, and meánscoil co-located with CLG Na Fianna that, at every turn, supports and encourages Gaelic games, culture and language. 

“This community is at risk. It will be torn apart by this. That such a proposal should have been brought forward in Bliain na Gaeilge and at the same time as the Irish language is being placed front and centre of Project Ireland 2040, is an irony that is truly heartbreaking.”

Ms Nic Niallaigh added that the proposal is already hurting the school.

“We simply cannot understand how this proposal even came to be put forward and we cannot conceive of any way in which it could co-exist with the school,” she stated. “Uncertainty over whether this proposal will move forward dominates, and will continue to dominate, the decisions parents take now, and in the near future, about whether to send their children to or keep them at our school, Scoil Chaitríona and Tír na nOg.” 

She concluded: “We ask the NTA and TII to remove this proposal from the table as soon as possible to avoid further detriment to the school.”

Speaking at last week’s Oireachtas hearing, local Fine Gael TD, Noel Rock, stated that an alternative tunnelling site for MetroLink will have to be found.

“It is clear now that the tunnelling simply cannot take place where proposed,” he said “The National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland are now on notice in this regard.

“We are all in favour of MetroLink, but we must find an alternative tunnel site.

Deputy Rock expects that a change will be announced soon after the conclusion of the MetroLink public consultation on May 11.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also warned that the proposed MetroLink project should not impact negatively on local sports and community facilities in Drumcondra and Glasnevin. She is encouraging members of the public to have their say by making a submission to the public consultation before next week’s deadline.

Deputy McDonald said: “Construction of the long-awaited MetroLink is long overdue, and while I don’t wish to see any further delay in the project, the ‘emerging preferred route’ is unacceptable as it places severe pressure on the Na Fianna GFC and other community facilities.

"I have met with Na Fianna in recent days to hear how they might lose access to their pitches for seven years, impacting severely on their 3,000 members.”

Fianna Fáil’s general election candidate in Dublin Central, Mary Fitzpatrick, said that the “mixed messages” coming from Government regarding the emerging preferred route for Dublin’s MetroLink, were adding to the stress and anxiety for residents, parents, teachers, pupils and voluntary club members in Glasnevin.

She said: “The preferred route for MetroLink in North Dublin is still not clear and the issue continues to be a cause of concern for thousands of locals who worry about the possibly devastating impact on their community.”