Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that it is not any one person's or one agency's problem, but it is a problem for the community and for anybody who wishes to drive through Celbridge or to work or live there. We would be anxious that it would happen too. The focus of all the stakeholders - the council, local businesses, landowners, State agencies and the wider community - should be on implementing the Celbridge local area plan. Both I and my Department will work proactively with Kildare County Council in this regard in terms of infrastructure delivery and sustainable urban development. We will link with other Departments as well to try to move this along because it is important that it go through the different stages.

A new crossing of the Liffey is identified as a strategic infrastructural development for Celbridge and, in particular, Simmonstown. A second bridge crossing will form an important part of the transport infrastructural assessment for Celbridge as it will be a key item in the delivery of supporting infrastructure for the planned development of the town, again in a sustainable manner, to open up other lands to town centre development and also to open it up to housing delivery. We want to see Celbridge developed in a sustainable way.

The Deputy also asked about the land at Hazelhatch, which is in the vicinity of Hazelhatch railway station. This land has been identified in the local area plan as a flood risk and also as a key piece of land to be developed. I understand that the council has undertaken in the local area plan to continue working with the OPW and the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, on the extent of the flood risk and measures to deal with it. It is important that these lands are provided for future development as part of a master plan. The Department likes to see land use being properly planned via a master plan, in which a local authority takes the lead and works with local land owners. The flood risk issue will need to be addressed before plans can be put in place for use of the land, but in a sustainable manner that will develop Celbridge in a positive way for people who want to live there.

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