Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin has always supported metro north. It will benefit the environment as it will remove thousands of cars from our streets every week and carry more than 50 million passengers per year. There are major benefits relating to employment, not just during the construction phase, which would provide 4,000 jobs, but afterwards, with the creation of new jobs and businesses all along the area served by metro north. It will also help in regenerating areas and provide badly needed access to Dublin Airport.

We must also be conscious of the impact that long-term construction work will have on our communities. Some real concerns, for example, are plans to requisition the grounds and lands associated with Na Fianna GAA Club and Home Farm Football Club on St. Mobhi Road as a staging post for the underground boring machinery and other works associated with the project. This has the potential to cause untold and irrecoverable damage to both clubs. I would like to offer my condolences to the family and Na Fianna on the passing of their club secretary, Deirdre Lambe. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. This plan will also impact greatly on residents and three local schools, Scoil Chaitríona, Scoil Mobhí and Whitehall College, affecting hundreds of children and their families daily.

I have a suggestion that I believe will have the least impact on the community and surrounding areas. There are virgin lands just north of Ballymun where this heavy boring equipment could be stored and utilised and works could be commenced from there. Will the Minister give this suggestion some consideration as a more viable and sensible option in place of the existing proposals, which have huge implications for our communities?

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