Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this topic to be taken today. It is ironic that this debate is taking place a day after Kildare County Council decided to scrap a section 38 proposal that would have changed the traffic pattern in Celbridge and that would have had implications for a number of residential estates in the town. The bridge in Celbridge was built after a flood in 1802. It has been in existence as the town has developed over the past 200 years to its current size with a population of almost 20,000. The problem in the town is that there is just one bridge over the River Liffey. This restricts access from one side of the town to the other. It makes it difficult for many people to avail of the very good public transport links that are provided at Hazelhatch railway station. I commend the Minister on today's announcement of investment in the DART and Luas networks. It is very difficult for public transport operators to get through the village at the moment.

Seven options were set out in a report that was produced for RPS Consultants on behalf of Kildare County Council in June. The option that was favoured by a local Fianna Fáil councillor caused fierce consternation in the town. I am delighted that the public realised what was happening. The proposed route would have gone through the Simmonstown and Hazelhatch Park estates. Traffic would have been diverted onto a road that has a public play area on one side and housing on the other. Kids who wanted to cross that road to get to the area where they normally play would not have had a proper junction or crossing point to use. I thought it was absolutely crazy. I am delighted that as soon as the period of time for public submissions was completed, Kildare County Council made a rapid decision not to go ahead with the section 38 proposal. The proposal in question was one of the options put forward by RPS Consultants when they were asked to suggest ways of improving the traffic flow in Celbridge.

A second bridge is needed in the town of Celbridge. Most of us who have gone through the town of Enniscorthy have seen the helpful one-way flow system there, which uses two bridges in close proximity to each other. A second bridge in the centre of Kilkenny is helping to alleviate the traffic problems associated with the town. I accept that such a venture in Celbridge would cost between €8 million and €10 million. We need to put plans in place now for the development of something like this in the long term. I believe we can bring the public on board with the proposed second bridge if a long-term strategy is put in place. It was proposed to develop a second bridge from Castletown to Donaghcumper, but that was unacceptable because it would have been too close to the gates of historic Castletown House. That made no sense at all. I believe that if we put a plan in place, engage in proper public consultation and get the people on board, we can develop a second bridge in the village of Celbridge, which is wanted to ease the traffic flows that are there at the moment. If there is a better flow of traffic through the town, people will be more likely to use the public transport options that are available in Celbridge, including those provided through CIE and Dublin Bus at the railway station in Hazelhatch. I hope we can start a long-term process that will lead to the construction of a second bridge in Celbridge.

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