Taoiseach acknowledges 'serious issues' around Luas Cork route through GAA and rugby grounds

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has acknowledged that two sports clubs opposing the revised €2.5bn Luas Cork route cutting through their grounds are facing “serious issues”.

The preferred route for the proposed 20km light rail service was published in April, refining last year’s emerging preferred route with significant changes on the western end in Ballincollig and Bishopstown.

Revisions to the previous route have the rail lines turning east at the northern end of Melbourn Rd, running past Bishopstown Community School, and through the grounds of Bishopstown GAA Club and Highfield RFC.

Last month, Bishopstown GAA vowed to fight the plans “to the very end”.

Last week, Highfield Rugby Club said the preferred route presented an “existential threat” to its future.

Both clubs had called on members to make submissions to the public consultation process being run by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), a process that closed on Friday.

Speaking in Cork last Monday, Mr Martin said he met the officers of both clubs at the end of May “for a very considerable length of time”.

Serious issues 

“There are serious issues for the clubs, and I encourage both clubs to continue engaging with TII in respect of the proposals. I will also discuss the situation with TII, and certainly I will reflect on the presentations that were made to me by both clubs,” he said.

Mr Martin said the clubs had outlined how the proposed route would curtail their respective grounds.

He acknowledged both faced significant challenges.

“In Highfield, what you’re looking at is splitting the campus between the senior pitch and the under-age pitch, and there are issues there, no doubt,” Mr Martin said.

“The important point is that people need to engage in the process, that’s the whole purpose of a public consultation is to hear these views.

“Overall, the Luas is very important for Cork, so we want to see it progressing, but we want to do so in a way that is sensible and that meets the needs of our people.”