The An Taisce submission endorsed the expansion of Intel and made practical recommendations for better transport planning to reduce congestion and ensure that infrastructural provision and environmental management was adequate. Indeed, the issues being raised by An Taisce are in the best long term strategic interest of Intel’s own investment.

ICT Ireland is arguing that “delays” in the planning process are having a negative impact on competitiveness and attracting foreign investment. The fact is that Ireland is attracting unprecedented foreign investment and this now needs to be matched by adequate investment in infrastructure, affordable and accessible housing, public transport and services.

An Taisce’s submission to An Bord Pleanala on Intel is intended to make recommendations for achieving a better development through improved conditions. This includes addressing the important environmental issues of construction spoil material along the Rye Water which is a tributary of the River Liffey and the adequacy of sewerage treatment capacity.

The downstream impact of major industrial and housing development on traffic congestion, services and amenities must be faced up to. Too many planning permissions are being granted for major developments without proper linkage to the provision of accessible public transport and other services. This is going to cause socially and economically damaging congestion which will be difficult and expensive to solve in the future.

Existing transport plans for the Greater Dublin Area drawn up by the Dublin Transport Office (DTO) in “Platform for Change” 2000-2016 is not being followed. The key objective of this strategy for 2000-2016 is to “reduce the number of car trips and bring congestion back to 1997 levels”. A key requirement to implement this is to ensure that new residential development is public transport accessible and major employment development is linked to schemes to promote staff use of public transport and car pooling and reduction of levels and ratios of car parking spaces. Local Authorities are failing to implement this objective although the adverse impact of congestion is clearly mounting. In the case of the Intel application, Kildare County Council failed to refer the application for consultation to the DTO which is one of the major issues raised in the appeal.

The recent announcement by the Minister for Transport on considering the setting up of a Dublin Transport Authority is most welcome to advance better transport co-ordination. The IDA also needs to be more active in ensuring that inward investment is linked to better transport and strategic planning.

Rather than criticising An Taisce’s raising of these issues, those concerned about advancing inward investment in Ireland should be putting forward better solutions for the achievement of enhanced public transport and delivery of services and ultimately a better quality of life.