Dublin Households Could Lose Part Of Their Properties In New Transport Plan

Fine Gael have raised concerns over the issue of around 1,300 homeowners across Dublin that could face losing part of their properties to a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) as part of the new Core Bus Corridors routes.

Dublin North West Deputy Noel Rock has slammed the National Transport Authority (NTA) for "keeping households in the dark" as to how the new routes – formerly Bus Rapid Transit – will impact on their premises.

Deputy Rock said: "I understand that the NTA intends to publish plans to acquire, via CPO, a portion of some 1,300 gardens.

"They intend to announce this plan, yet have not informed residents affected, and have no plans to do so before then.

"Similarly, their own report doesn't outline exactly which properties will be affected by the acquisition; rather it only outlines the roads affected.

"This means instead of 1,300 households being informed on this matter and becoming concerned due to the lack of direct engagement from the NTA, it will be a multiple of several times that."

Deputy Rock continued: "This is deeply disappointing from the NTA, and displays the exact same mistakes made in the recent MetroLink Emerging Preferred Route announcement with Na Fianna, Home Farm FC, Scoil Mobhí, Scoil Chaitríona and other local organisations and residents affected either being told very late or not at all.

"This is unacceptable and I call on the NTA to remedy this before any public announcements on the matter.

"I have also written to the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport to invite the NTA in to discuss this: progress always has a price, but decent communication, transparency and fair treatment of those affected should be an essential part of any development."

(MH)