Leo Varadkar has objected to the routing of the Royal Canal Greenway through his constituency that would close down a park where he used to play as a child.
The Fine Gael Taoiseach made his objection to Fingal County Council in July 2021 on official headed paper showing his title at the time, Tanaiste and Enterprise Minister. The chosen route of the massive Greenway, that will eventually connect Dublin and Galway, passes through Mr Varadkar’s constituency on the northern bank of the canal by Castleknock.
The Taoiseach is supporting some of his constituents on this issue and is calling for it to be built on the south bank instead, which would take it away from the back gardens of his old neighbours.
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Mr Varadkar’s mother, Miriam, and sister, Sonia, also made submissions to the council expressing their objections to the plans that would affect their residential amenities. Local Fianna Fail TD and Minister, Jack Chambers, also made a submission to the consultation process and called for a different route to be chosen as well.
A third minister, the Green Party’s Roderic O’Gorman, is also a TD for the constituency, but he is in favour of the environmentally-friendly project’s routing through Castleknock as planned. Mr Varadkar said in his submission: “I welcome the opportunity to make a submission on this matter, I do so as a local resident and a public representative for the area.”
He continued: “My strong preference is that it be constructed on the southern bank along the existing towpath along the railway line. This was the original plan and will have the least impact on adjoining properties and residential areas.”
Miriam Varadkar, revealed in her own submission that Leo used to play in a park that will be affected by the Greenway’s construction if it runs along the north bank of the canal.
She said: “If the north side is to be used the green at Brompton where my kids played would be lost and this is the only green space where children can play with no main road access.”
A spokesman for Leo Varadkar told the Irish Mirror last night: “The Taoiseach initiated the Royal Canal Greenway as Minister for Transport, including the plans to extend it all the way from Dublin to Galway, so he has been a fervent supporter of the project from the start.
“In 2021 he again expressed support for the project but made a submission to run a section in Dublin West known as the ‘deep sinking’ along the southern bank instead of the northern bank.”
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