Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this Topical Issue matter and thank the Minister of State, Deputy English, for giving the time to come before the House to discuss it with me. I also wish to use this as an opportunity to acknowledge the Minister of State's co-operation in this regard in helping to deliver the funding to progress the much-needed second bridge for Celbridge. The local authority was awarded funding for this some months ago through his offices and his Department. This would help to bring the second bridge to Celbridge with ring roads, which are much needed in Celbridge to avoid the current traffic congestion and delays, all the way from concept through to design and tender. I acknowledge the Minister of State's positive work with me and Deputy Durkan in this regard. I want to put that on the record of the House.

I am disappointed I have to bring this issue before the House again. This is the third or fourth time we have been here looking for the support of the Minister of State and his officials in the Department in progressing this master plan for this area of Celbridge. It was identified through the local area plan recently as an area of key and strategic development. What I am looking to do, on behalf of the people of Celbridge, is get the Minister of State's support in engaging, communicating and liaising with the local authority to progress this master plan in order that the area can progress and develop, as I said, as an area of key development.

Looking back over the record of the House from previous occasions on which we discussed this, it is important to recap what we are talking about. This site is right beside Hazelhatch train station. It is less than a five-minute walk from the primary school in the area, St. Patrick's national school, the sporting clubs and the site the Department of Education and Skills owns, which is identified for two if not three schools to be built over the short to medium term. The Department has acknowledged it will use not only that site but also a site off Shinkeen Road which is progressing at present for development of schools, such is the need in the area. The site is also extremely close to the M50 and on to the M7, M8 and M9, so it is in quite a good location.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has acknowledged that the Kildare rail line, serving Hazelhatch and Sallins, is a priority in the context of the allocation of the new rail carriages that are due to be delivered in 2021. The train line has also been identified for electrification, and that process will commence in 2022. It is all positive and it is the reason this area has been identified as an area of key strategic development for residential, commercial or whatever type of development is decided on by the governing local authority.

The stakeholders and landowners want to engage with the local authority and do the master plan in partnership with that authority. We should remember that in the previous local area plan, it was agreed a master plan for this land would be formulated before the expiry of the local area plan. The next local area plan for Celbridge is due in less than two years. We know the local authority has stretched resources and the Minister of State knows this from engaging with it. It needs support and the template identified here has been used in many different counties, including Kildare. There is nothing wrong with the suggested template, as the local authority would be the supervising body working in partnership to see what is critical for the site.

Unfortunately, nothing is happening and there is no progression. That is the reason I brought this matter before the House. This is important to Celbridge, where there is much land zoned for development in the recent local area plan but very few areas can be developed before we get the much-needed infrastructure. The Minister of State allocated funds in that regard earlier this year. Other lands cannot be developed until the infrastructure is in place.

See this speech in context