The Government decision in September to proceed with the Grangegorman Project was most welcome. I am a member of the Grangegorman Development Agency and Joe Costello TD is a member of the Consultative Group. We have been working together for over ten years to help promote this project.
The deadline announced for submissions was originally 9th November. the Grangegorman Development Agency has issued a notice stating that "A number of wordprocessing errors in the Environmental Report accompanying the draft Strategic Plan have come to the attention of the GDA, and we have prepared a corrected version of that Report. In light of the above, the GDA has decided to put the draft Strategic Plan on public display for inspection with the associated Environmental Report, the corrected version of that Report, together also with the Appropriate Assessment Screening Report, for an extended period, during which interested parties continue to be, and are, invited to make written submissions or observations (or, if you have already made submissions or observations, further, or other, written submissions or observations), in relation to them others."
The new date for receipt of submissions is now 7th December .
Submissions can be made in writing to: Grangegorman Development Agency, St Brendan’s Hospital, Grangegorman, Dublin 7 or by email to communications@ggda.ie
Despite the many false starts and delays, some progress has been made: I was delighted to officiate at the opening of the new (temporary) school for D7 Educate Together at the end of my term as Lord Mayor of Dublin in June 2010. Also, planning permission has been granted for the replacement mental health facility in the Northwest corner of the site, at the North Circular Road. Enabling works had commenced on the site. However, the contractor for this development was Pearse Ltd who have recently gone into liquidation and therefore new contractors will have to be appointed.
Further information on the project is avaialbe at www.ggda.ie
Monday, November 08, 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Flood Warning: Risk of Coastal Flooding in Dublin this weekend – 7th and 8th November 2010
Press Release from Dublin City Council 4th November 2010
Motorists and property owners should be aware that there is a risk of coastal flooding in Dublin this weekend, advises Dublin City Council Local Flood forecasting agency. Dublin City Council has put in place a flood contingency plan to address this risk, in accordance with the City’s Emergency Plan. Car parks on the seafront at Clontarf and Sandymount will be closed from Sunday 7th until the evening of Monday 8th November. Motorists are advised not to leave cars in these areas, as they may be at risk from flooding, due to wave action. Local Road closures may be required and these will be identified closer to the weekend as more reliable weather forecasting is available.
The best available weather forecasts, in conjunction with the City’s tidal surge early warning system, suggest a severe low pressure off the west coast of Ireland in combination with southerly/easterly winds of 70km per hour gusting to 100km per hour over the coming days. This combination of high tides and low pressure increase the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly at high tide around midnight on Sunday 7th November and midday on Monday 8th November.
Normal high tides are predicted from Thursday 4th November to Tuesday 9th November. These high tides will not normally cause a coastal flooding risk unless accompanied by extreme weather.
Dublin City Council will start today to deploy temporary flood defences in potential at risk areas. Alerts will be issued through the radio and other media when more information becomes available.
Further reports will issue when more information is available. Advice on local flood protection for householders and businesses can be sourced from OPW at www.flooding.ie
Dublin City Council will continue to monitor weather predictions and update risk assessments in the coming days. The City Council is in close contact with Met Eireann, the Gardai and Health Service Executive so that all available information may be shared and necessary actions taken in accordance with inter agency emergency plans.
Ends
Motorists and property owners should be aware that there is a risk of coastal flooding in Dublin this weekend, advises Dublin City Council Local Flood forecasting agency. Dublin City Council has put in place a flood contingency plan to address this risk, in accordance with the City’s Emergency Plan. Car parks on the seafront at Clontarf and Sandymount will be closed from Sunday 7th until the evening of Monday 8th November. Motorists are advised not to leave cars in these areas, as they may be at risk from flooding, due to wave action. Local Road closures may be required and these will be identified closer to the weekend as more reliable weather forecasting is available.
The best available weather forecasts, in conjunction with the City’s tidal surge early warning system, suggest a severe low pressure off the west coast of Ireland in combination with southerly/easterly winds of 70km per hour gusting to 100km per hour over the coming days. This combination of high tides and low pressure increase the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly at high tide around midnight on Sunday 7th November and midday on Monday 8th November.
Normal high tides are predicted from Thursday 4th November to Tuesday 9th November. These high tides will not normally cause a coastal flooding risk unless accompanied by extreme weather.
Dublin City Council will start today to deploy temporary flood defences in potential at risk areas. Alerts will be issued through the radio and other media when more information becomes available.
Further reports will issue when more information is available. Advice on local flood protection for householders and businesses can be sourced from OPW at www.flooding.ie
Dublin City Council will continue to monitor weather predictions and update risk assessments in the coming days. The City Council is in close contact with Met Eireann, the Gardai and Health Service Executive so that all available information may be shared and necessary actions taken in accordance with inter agency emergency plans.
Ends
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
CITY COUNCIL MUST RETAIN REGENERATION WORKERS
Cllr Emer Costello has called on Dublin City Council to reverse its decision to terminate the employment of the two`local part-time Regeneration Workers at O’Devaney Gardens and one part time regeneration worker at Croke Villas, Ballybough, Dublin 3 by ceasing funding to the Regeneration Agency Community Technical Aid (CTA).
Speaking at the City Council meeting this evening, Cllr Costello stated that Dublin City Council had treated the workers, the Regeneration Board and the community with contempt. The Regeneration Board had not been consulted in relation to that decision. As Dublin City Council’s own representative on the O’Devaney Gardens Regeneration Board, she was stunned to learn second-hand of the decision to terminate the employment of the Regeneration Workers. Cllr Costello raised the issue at the September Central Area Committee and proposed the motion for the October City Council meeting calling on the City Manager to reverse the decision terminating the employment of the Regeneration Workers.
Cllr Costello stated that the Regeneration Workers provide an invaluable service to the communities. They provide essential linkages between the community and Dublin City Council. Following the collapse of the Public Private Partnership in May 2008, the Regeneration Workers from O’Devaney Gardens played a major role in calming the very volatile situation that existed there at the time. In addition, they worked with the local community to ensure the delivery of a viable new plan. Residents of Croke Villas, who were completely devastated by the collapse of that PPP, were not as fortunate as to have an alternative plan in place. However, Dublin City Council had agreed to develop a Local Area Plan for the area and the services of the Regeneration Officer in the community consultation would be pivotal in developing an inclusive and democratic plan. Over the past six years, the Regeneration Workers have devoted their lives to their communities, and in contrast the City Council’s treatment of them is completely cold and ruthless.
Cllr Costello stated that the figures in relation to costs of the workers produced by the City Manager were inaccurate. It was also very worrying that no effort had been made to negotiate with either CTA or the Workers on the costs involved prior to the decision being made. She called on the City Manager to withdraw the letter terminating the funding and to enter into negotiations with CTA, the Regeneration Board, the workers and the local councillors.
Cllr Costello completely rejected the Manager’s report that the work of the Regeneration Workers in O’Devaney Gardens is now complete as the Masterplan had been developed and a planning application would be sent to An Bord Pleanala in the coming weeks. She argued that the work of the Regeneration Workers at this crucial juncture was need more than ever. It would be crucial that the Regeneration Workers remain in place to guide the residents of O’Devaney Gardens through the public consultation process.
Moreover, the Regeneration Workers in both Croke Villas and O’Devaney Gardens made substantial inputs into the social regeneration necessary for the communities and that this work is still very essential in the communities.
The motion calling on the manager to reverse the decision to terminate the employment of the workers, proposed by Cllr Costello, was adopted overwhelmingly by the City Council. Cllr Costello is now calling for an Emergency Meeting of the O’Devaney Gardens Regeneration Board so that negotiations with the City Council can take place in a meaningful environment.
Speaking at the City Council meeting this evening, Cllr Costello stated that Dublin City Council had treated the workers, the Regeneration Board and the community with contempt. The Regeneration Board had not been consulted in relation to that decision. As Dublin City Council’s own representative on the O’Devaney Gardens Regeneration Board, she was stunned to learn second-hand of the decision to terminate the employment of the Regeneration Workers. Cllr Costello raised the issue at the September Central Area Committee and proposed the motion for the October City Council meeting calling on the City Manager to reverse the decision terminating the employment of the Regeneration Workers.
Cllr Costello stated that the Regeneration Workers provide an invaluable service to the communities. They provide essential linkages between the community and Dublin City Council. Following the collapse of the Public Private Partnership in May 2008, the Regeneration Workers from O’Devaney Gardens played a major role in calming the very volatile situation that existed there at the time. In addition, they worked with the local community to ensure the delivery of a viable new plan. Residents of Croke Villas, who were completely devastated by the collapse of that PPP, were not as fortunate as to have an alternative plan in place. However, Dublin City Council had agreed to develop a Local Area Plan for the area and the services of the Regeneration Officer in the community consultation would be pivotal in developing an inclusive and democratic plan. Over the past six years, the Regeneration Workers have devoted their lives to their communities, and in contrast the City Council’s treatment of them is completely cold and ruthless.
Cllr Costello stated that the figures in relation to costs of the workers produced by the City Manager were inaccurate. It was also very worrying that no effort had been made to negotiate with either CTA or the Workers on the costs involved prior to the decision being made. She called on the City Manager to withdraw the letter terminating the funding and to enter into negotiations with CTA, the Regeneration Board, the workers and the local councillors.
Cllr Costello completely rejected the Manager’s report that the work of the Regeneration Workers in O’Devaney Gardens is now complete as the Masterplan had been developed and a planning application would be sent to An Bord Pleanala in the coming weeks. She argued that the work of the Regeneration Workers at this crucial juncture was need more than ever. It would be crucial that the Regeneration Workers remain in place to guide the residents of O’Devaney Gardens through the public consultation process.
Moreover, the Regeneration Workers in both Croke Villas and O’Devaney Gardens made substantial inputs into the social regeneration necessary for the communities and that this work is still very essential in the communities.
The motion calling on the manager to reverse the decision to terminate the employment of the workers, proposed by Cllr Costello, was adopted overwhelmingly by the City Council. Cllr Costello is now calling for an Emergency Meeting of the O’Devaney Gardens Regeneration Board so that negotiations with the City Council can take place in a meaningful environment.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Costellos seek radical changes to railway order for Dart Interconnector to protect East Wall residents
The Labour Deputy for Dublin Central, Joe Costello TD and Cllr. Emer Costello have raised a number of issues that are of concern to the residents of East Wall in a submission to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the railway order for the dart interconnector.
“We accept the principle of linking the mainline railway with the DART and LUAS lines and the proposed METRO. While we do not oppose the Interconnector project we have serious concerns about aspects of the proposals as detailed in the Railway Order.
“The Interconnector will cause major disruption at three points along its route – Inchicore, St. Stephen’s Green and East Wall.
“It appears that no consultation has taken place locally regarding St. Stephen’s Green; that minimal consultation has taken place with the community of East Wall and that Iarnród Éireann engaged in full and frank consultation with the residents of Inchicore.
“Indeed the original proposal for tunnelling along the route had been presented as tunnelling from both Inchicore and East Wall. Yet to the consternation of the residents of East Wall the public assertions of Iarnród Éireann were altered and the Railway Order applied for in July 2010 sought to tunnel only from East Wall.
“Thus East Wall will become the hub of the Interconnector Project and bear the brunt of the works for the entire duration of the project.
“The proposed development will take almost a decade to complete. East Wall will be visited with disruption from spoil removal, noise, dust and traffic congestion for the duration of this major development.
“In return East Wall will receive absolutely no benefit – not even a DART station to improve public transport which is woefully inadequate in the East Wall area.
“East Wall is a small, urban community of about 3,500 people. The original houses are almost entirely two storey, built on land reclaimed from the sea. East Wall lies within the curve of the railway line and is isolated from the rest of the City.
“Due to its low-lying location it has been subjected to flooding, the most recent being last year, 2009. Householders find it difficult and expensive to get home insurance.
“East Wall needs sensitive treatment from planners and community benefit from major projects that impact on the area.”
Deputy Joe Costello and Cllr. Emer Costello in their submission today appeal to An Bórd Pleanála for a fair hearing for the East Wall community
“We accept the principle of linking the mainline railway with the DART and LUAS lines and the proposed METRO. While we do not oppose the Interconnector project we have serious concerns about aspects of the proposals as detailed in the Railway Order.
“The Interconnector will cause major disruption at three points along its route – Inchicore, St. Stephen’s Green and East Wall.
“It appears that no consultation has taken place locally regarding St. Stephen’s Green; that minimal consultation has taken place with the community of East Wall and that Iarnród Éireann engaged in full and frank consultation with the residents of Inchicore.
“Indeed the original proposal for tunnelling along the route had been presented as tunnelling from both Inchicore and East Wall. Yet to the consternation of the residents of East Wall the public assertions of Iarnród Éireann were altered and the Railway Order applied for in July 2010 sought to tunnel only from East Wall.
“Thus East Wall will become the hub of the Interconnector Project and bear the brunt of the works for the entire duration of the project.
“The proposed development will take almost a decade to complete. East Wall will be visited with disruption from spoil removal, noise, dust and traffic congestion for the duration of this major development.
“In return East Wall will receive absolutely no benefit – not even a DART station to improve public transport which is woefully inadequate in the East Wall area.
“East Wall is a small, urban community of about 3,500 people. The original houses are almost entirely two storey, built on land reclaimed from the sea. East Wall lies within the curve of the railway line and is isolated from the rest of the City.
“Due to its low-lying location it has been subjected to flooding, the most recent being last year, 2009. Householders find it difficult and expensive to get home insurance.
“East Wall needs sensitive treatment from planners and community benefit from major projects that impact on the area.”
Deputy Joe Costello and Cllr. Emer Costello in their submission today appeal to An Bórd Pleanála for a fair hearing for the East Wall community
Copy of Full Submission on Dart Interconnector to An Bord Pleanala
Dear Sir/Madam,
We accept the principle of linking the mainline railway with the DART and LUAS lines and the proposed METRO. While we do not oppose the Interconnector project we have serious concerns about aspects of the proposals as detailed in the Railway Order.
The Interconnector will cause major disruption at three points along its route – Inchicore, St. Stephen’s Green and East Wall.
It appears that no consultation has taken place locally regarding St. Stephen’s Green; that minimal consultation has taken place with the community of East Wall and that Iarnród Éireann engaged in full and frank consultation with the residents of Inchicore.
Indeed the original proposal for tunnelling along the route had been presented as tunnelling from both Inchicore and East Wall. Yet to the consternation of the residents of East Wall the public assertions of Iarnród Éireann were altered and the Railway Order applied for in July 2010 sought to tunnel only from East Wall.
Thus East Wall will become the hub of the Interconnector Project and bear the brunt of the works for the entire duration of the project.
The main tunnelling works will initiate in East Wall; the spoil will be excavated and transported from there; the operational Control Centre, Management Suite and traction sub-station and Intervention shaft will all be located there if the Draft Railway Order is approved in its present form.
The proposed development will take almost a decade to complete. East Wall will be visited with disruption from spoil removal, noise, dust and traffic congestion for the duration of this major development.
When complete it will create a visual intrusion on the landscape and an extra volume of noise from the increased activity along the new Interconnector and old mainline railway.
In return East Wall will receive absolutely no benefit – not even a DART station to improve public transport which is woefully inadequate in the East Wall area.
It is a bleak prospect, and no wonder the closely knit residential East Wall community is angry and feels discriminated against by Iarnród Éireann.
East Wall is a small, urban community of about 3,500 people. The original houses are almost entirely two storey, built on land reclaimed from the sea. East Wall lies within the curve of the railway line and is isolated from the rest of the City.
Due to its low-lying location it has been subjected to flooding, the most recent being last year, 2009. Householders find it difficult and expensive to get home insurance.
In 2004 wishing to be considered as a distinct community within the Dublin Docklands and impatient with the lack of community gain from the burgeoning Docklands development the East Wall Area Action Plan was drawn up with the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.
Most recently in the present Draft Dublin City Development Plan (2011 – 2017) East Wall succeeded in persuading the City Council that it should be granted a Local Area Plan (LAP). When complete the LAP will provide East Wall with a statutory framework for future development. This plan will enable East Wall to protect its amenities, heritage and character and establish appropriate height and density for future developments.
The Railway Order is silent on both plans for East Wall and Iarnród Éireann has not included them in any way in the Interconnector Project.
East Wall needs sensitive treatment from planners and community benefit from major projects that impact on the area.
In our submission today we appeal to An Bórd Pleanála for a fair hearing for the East Wall Community.
We wish to raise the following issues of concern to the residents of East Wall.
A project as large as the DART Underground Interconnector requires an oral hearing so that citizens, communities and businesses along the route can express their views and concerns.
The residents of East Wall have already incurred substantial costs in preparing their submission and will incur ongoing costs for the duration of the project. Iarnród Éireann should pay the bill for all reasonable costs incurred by communities along the route.
The Interconnector will benefit the people of Dublin. However, it will seriously discommode the people of East Wall and Inchicore during its construction. It is unreasonable that the benefit of a local station should accrue to Inchicore while East Wall will suffer a double whammy of not getting a local station but becoming the tunnelling hub of the entire project. East Wall should be provided with a local station and the tunnelling should be shared equally between both Inchicore and East Wall. Moreover, if four Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) were employed instead of two, the work could be carried out much more quickly and efficiently and with far less adverse impact on both communities.
A comprehensive survey of the health and homes of people in the vicinity of the tunnel should be carried out prior to tunnelling. Damage to health and property should be monitored throughout the duration of the project.
There are serious question marks about the entire alignment along West Road. It is unclear why the new proposed bridge needs to be taller and wider than the old bridge; why a cycle lane is part of the proposal; what purpose the so-called “emergency”/evacuation footbridge at West Road serves; and why a permanent retaining wall is necessary.
The proposed works at and behind Abercorn Road are substantial and would impact heavily on the local residents particularly in relation to truck movements. The backup travel route proposed to the rear of Abercorn Road and Irvine Terrace should not be permitted, as it would cause noise, dust and disturbance.
Likewise Blythe Avenue, Hawthorn Terrace and Church Road are likely to experience disruption and disturbance during the construction and tunnelling phase with residents’ enjoyment of their homes being severely curtailed.
An Independent Arbitrator should be appointed to resolve any dispute that might arise with the main contractor during the lifetime of the project.
The main contractor for the project must produce in consultation with Iarnród Éireann the following documents: The Construction Code of Practice, A Noise and Vibration Plan, An Environmental Management Plan, A TBM Mitigation Plan, A Traffic Management Plan, and a Dust Minimisation Plan. These documents should be supplied to the residents as soon as possible and included in an agreement with the contractor. This should be a condition of the Railway Order.
There should be a Charter of Rights drawn up between the residents of East Wall and Iarnród Éireann. It would be enforced by the Independent Arbitrator.
A liaison committee should be established between the East Wall Action Group and Iarnród Éireann for the duration of the project to monitor progress and to address potential crises or emergencies.
The East Wall community should benefit from a local employment clause of 20% of the workforce and apprenticeships and should also benefit from Community Gain funding for local community-based projects and scholarships during the construction period and the subsequent operation of the Interconnector.
The spoil from the tunnelling should be transported out of the area by means of the existing mainline railway so as to minimise pollution and road traffic disruption.
Car and truck parking for the large number of on site workers should be planned in such a way that the streets of East Wall and North Strand would not be clogged with vehicles for years to come.
Hours of working should be determined by An Bórd Pleanála and should be in accordance with the wishes of the residents.
The proposed Operational Control Centre, Management Suite and Eastern Intervention Shaft should be located outside of East Wall as they would be visually intrusive.
Flooding has taken place as recently as last year in East Wall. The Railway Order should include a comprehensive plan to deal with the low water table and the likely
flooding of the tunnel during construction and the eventuality of flooding in the tunnel and in East Wall in the future.
Finally, when the project is complete Iarnród Éireann should provide a thorough landscaping of all the areas affected with a view to reducing adverse visual impact and improving the environment. This should be a condition of the Railway Order, as on a previous occasion in 2002, Iarnród Éireann failed to carry out its commitment to landscape its property in the North Strand Area.
In conclusion, we support the submission made by the East Wall Community through the East Wall Action Group.
They have requested an oral hearing and we earnestly request that it be granted.
Should it be granted we would welcome the opportunity of making an oral submission.
We accept the principle of linking the mainline railway with the DART and LUAS lines and the proposed METRO. While we do not oppose the Interconnector project we have serious concerns about aspects of the proposals as detailed in the Railway Order.
The Interconnector will cause major disruption at three points along its route – Inchicore, St. Stephen’s Green and East Wall.
It appears that no consultation has taken place locally regarding St. Stephen’s Green; that minimal consultation has taken place with the community of East Wall and that Iarnród Éireann engaged in full and frank consultation with the residents of Inchicore.
Indeed the original proposal for tunnelling along the route had been presented as tunnelling from both Inchicore and East Wall. Yet to the consternation of the residents of East Wall the public assertions of Iarnród Éireann were altered and the Railway Order applied for in July 2010 sought to tunnel only from East Wall.
Thus East Wall will become the hub of the Interconnector Project and bear the brunt of the works for the entire duration of the project.
The main tunnelling works will initiate in East Wall; the spoil will be excavated and transported from there; the operational Control Centre, Management Suite and traction sub-station and Intervention shaft will all be located there if the Draft Railway Order is approved in its present form.
The proposed development will take almost a decade to complete. East Wall will be visited with disruption from spoil removal, noise, dust and traffic congestion for the duration of this major development.
When complete it will create a visual intrusion on the landscape and an extra volume of noise from the increased activity along the new Interconnector and old mainline railway.
In return East Wall will receive absolutely no benefit – not even a DART station to improve public transport which is woefully inadequate in the East Wall area.
It is a bleak prospect, and no wonder the closely knit residential East Wall community is angry and feels discriminated against by Iarnród Éireann.
East Wall is a small, urban community of about 3,500 people. The original houses are almost entirely two storey, built on land reclaimed from the sea. East Wall lies within the curve of the railway line and is isolated from the rest of the City.
Due to its low-lying location it has been subjected to flooding, the most recent being last year, 2009. Householders find it difficult and expensive to get home insurance.
In 2004 wishing to be considered as a distinct community within the Dublin Docklands and impatient with the lack of community gain from the burgeoning Docklands development the East Wall Area Action Plan was drawn up with the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.
Most recently in the present Draft Dublin City Development Plan (2011 – 2017) East Wall succeeded in persuading the City Council that it should be granted a Local Area Plan (LAP). When complete the LAP will provide East Wall with a statutory framework for future development. This plan will enable East Wall to protect its amenities, heritage and character and establish appropriate height and density for future developments.
The Railway Order is silent on both plans for East Wall and Iarnród Éireann has not included them in any way in the Interconnector Project.
East Wall needs sensitive treatment from planners and community benefit from major projects that impact on the area.
In our submission today we appeal to An Bórd Pleanála for a fair hearing for the East Wall Community.
We wish to raise the following issues of concern to the residents of East Wall.
A project as large as the DART Underground Interconnector requires an oral hearing so that citizens, communities and businesses along the route can express their views and concerns.
The residents of East Wall have already incurred substantial costs in preparing their submission and will incur ongoing costs for the duration of the project. Iarnród Éireann should pay the bill for all reasonable costs incurred by communities along the route.
The Interconnector will benefit the people of Dublin. However, it will seriously discommode the people of East Wall and Inchicore during its construction. It is unreasonable that the benefit of a local station should accrue to Inchicore while East Wall will suffer a double whammy of not getting a local station but becoming the tunnelling hub of the entire project. East Wall should be provided with a local station and the tunnelling should be shared equally between both Inchicore and East Wall. Moreover, if four Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) were employed instead of two, the work could be carried out much more quickly and efficiently and with far less adverse impact on both communities.
A comprehensive survey of the health and homes of people in the vicinity of the tunnel should be carried out prior to tunnelling. Damage to health and property should be monitored throughout the duration of the project.
There are serious question marks about the entire alignment along West Road. It is unclear why the new proposed bridge needs to be taller and wider than the old bridge; why a cycle lane is part of the proposal; what purpose the so-called “emergency”/evacuation footbridge at West Road serves; and why a permanent retaining wall is necessary.
The proposed works at and behind Abercorn Road are substantial and would impact heavily on the local residents particularly in relation to truck movements. The backup travel route proposed to the rear of Abercorn Road and Irvine Terrace should not be permitted, as it would cause noise, dust and disturbance.
Likewise Blythe Avenue, Hawthorn Terrace and Church Road are likely to experience disruption and disturbance during the construction and tunnelling phase with residents’ enjoyment of their homes being severely curtailed.
An Independent Arbitrator should be appointed to resolve any dispute that might arise with the main contractor during the lifetime of the project.
The main contractor for the project must produce in consultation with Iarnród Éireann the following documents: The Construction Code of Practice, A Noise and Vibration Plan, An Environmental Management Plan, A TBM Mitigation Plan, A Traffic Management Plan, and a Dust Minimisation Plan. These documents should be supplied to the residents as soon as possible and included in an agreement with the contractor. This should be a condition of the Railway Order.
There should be a Charter of Rights drawn up between the residents of East Wall and Iarnród Éireann. It would be enforced by the Independent Arbitrator.
A liaison committee should be established between the East Wall Action Group and Iarnród Éireann for the duration of the project to monitor progress and to address potential crises or emergencies.
The East Wall community should benefit from a local employment clause of 20% of the workforce and apprenticeships and should also benefit from Community Gain funding for local community-based projects and scholarships during the construction period and the subsequent operation of the Interconnector.
The spoil from the tunnelling should be transported out of the area by means of the existing mainline railway so as to minimise pollution and road traffic disruption.
Car and truck parking for the large number of on site workers should be planned in such a way that the streets of East Wall and North Strand would not be clogged with vehicles for years to come.
Hours of working should be determined by An Bórd Pleanála and should be in accordance with the wishes of the residents.
The proposed Operational Control Centre, Management Suite and Eastern Intervention Shaft should be located outside of East Wall as they would be visually intrusive.
Flooding has taken place as recently as last year in East Wall. The Railway Order should include a comprehensive plan to deal with the low water table and the likely
flooding of the tunnel during construction and the eventuality of flooding in the tunnel and in East Wall in the future.
Finally, when the project is complete Iarnród Éireann should provide a thorough landscaping of all the areas affected with a view to reducing adverse visual impact and improving the environment. This should be a condition of the Railway Order, as on a previous occasion in 2002, Iarnród Éireann failed to carry out its commitment to landscape its property in the North Strand Area.
In conclusion, we support the submission made by the East Wall Community through the East Wall Action Group.
They have requested an oral hearing and we earnestly request that it be granted.
Should it be granted we would welcome the opportunity of making an oral submission.
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