Call for Kildare train station to be reopened

Kildare councillors will write to Irish Rail in an effort to initiate the re-opening of Kildangan train station.

Cllr Noel Connolly brought forward a motion at the most recent meeting of Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD), proposing that the elected members of the MD write to the national railway operator “asking them to investigate the feasibility of preparing a medium-term plan for the re-opening of Kildangan Train Station”.

This came after cllr Connolly’s Sinn Féin colleague Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh raised the matter in the Dáil last month, calling on the government to commission a feasibility study in to the reopening of the station, which has been dormant since 1963.

Senior executive officer in transport, mobility and open spaces Mark McLoughlin told the councillors that the writing of the letter was a matter for them to agree.

Cathaoirleach Noel Heavey expressed his support for the motion, with the elected members agreeing to write to Irish Rail.

Speaking at the meeting, cllr Connolly said that with recent land rezoning, the population of Kildangan is set to increase significantly, adding that the station would also serve the nearby villages of Kilberry and Nurney.

He expressed his opposition the view that the local population is too small for a train station, noting that Adamstown train station in Dublin was built ahead of housing developments there whilst Dromod in Leitrim also has a train station despite having a small population.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme