Park Carcur Wexford Report 1

1The purpose of this document is to ask questions in relation to infrastructural works at Park / Carcur outside Wexford town consisting of an access road from the Seamus Kelly roundabout up to a new railway overbridge to facilitate access to a planned bridge over the River Slaney to help ease traffic congestion in Wexford town. This Report focuses on how five different officials have wrongly claimed that a grant of planning for the access road and railway overbridge is covered under an adjoining planning permission.

AMystery Bridge Video: A short video showing the railway overbridge at Park / Carcur has been added to assist readers in understanding the issue raised in this report. [View Mystery Bridge Video]

BOireachtas Video: Dáil Debate Extract. On the 2nd July 2026 Deputy Michael Collins TD, Leader of Independent Ireland, raised the planning status of the new railway overbridge at Park/Carcur in Dáil Éireann:“Precisely what grant of planning permission exists for new railways overbridge at Park-Carcur just outside Wexford?”“I have been told that the CEO of Iarnród Éireann and the Minister for Transport claim that this bridge is covered by a planning application from a third-party developer, but it seems that that is not the case.”“The bridge appears to have been constructed with taxpayers’ money without planning permission. I would appreciate if the Minister of State could clarify that issue in the days ahead.”The official Oireachtas recording, beginning at the relevant remarks, can be viewed here: [View Oireachtas Video Extract] Footage © Houses of the Oireachtas.

New Wexford Town Plan

2On the 8th June 2023 Wexford County Council commenced the public consultation stage for the preparation of a new Wexford Town plan (2024-2030).

3Martin Power engaged in the public consultation process and made a submission to Wexford County Council on the 8th August 2023 (Submission 67) asking “what plans are in place or to be put in place for a new Slaney Bridge crossing at Park/Carcur to ease traffic congestion in Wexford Town”. [Submission-re-New-Wexford-Town-Plan]

4Following the public consultation process the previous CEO of Wexford County Council, Tom Enright, prepared a pre-draft consultation report in November 2023 which was circulated to the elected councillors for consideration. The reply to Martin Power’s submission can be seen at the end of page 57 of the pre-draft consultation report. [Wexford-Town-LAP-Pre-draft-Consultation-Report]

5The answer referred to above states, “The aim of the Local Area Plan is to ensure growth of our town, and it should include a plan to prioritise the building of a second bridge to bypass the town and direct traffic to the outskirts.”

Request to Wexford Borough Council

6Arising from the statement in the Pre-Draft Consultation Report to prioritise the building of a second bridge over the River Slaney, Cllr Leonard Kelly and then Cllr Davy Hynes at the request of Martin Power asked the executives at the Wexford Borough Council meeting on the 19th February 2024 to provide a progress report on the proposed developments at Park / Carcur. However, no report was provided then or since.

Questions to Councillors

7As there was no progress report provided by the executives after the meeting of the 19th February 2024, Martin Power provided a list of questions to Cllr Tom Forde, who in turn forwarded the questions to the new CEO, Eddie Taaffe, on the 9th July 2024.

8One of the questions related to the existing access road from the Seamus Kelly Roundabout up to the railway line is quoted as follows: “Was the quality of this new road compromised because Wexford County Council had not removed the 3000 cm of landfill?” [Current-Access-Road]

9The following day, the 10th July 2024, Eddie Taaffe replied to Cllr Forde and addressed Martin Power’s question, stating that there were no problems with the access road and claiming the road was approved by An Bord Pleanála. [Eddie-Taaffe-Email-to-Forde-10-July-2024]

10It was incorrect for Mr Taaffe to say that the access road from the Seamus Kelly Roundabout up to the Dublin-Rosslare Railway line at Park was approved by An Bord Pleanála.

11In fact the opposite is the case in that on the 5th July 2006 Wexford County Council initiated a Part 8 planning application for a roundabout (now known as the Seamus Kelly roundabout) and Access Road as specified in the 2002 Wexford town plan which was granted in December 2006. [Part-8-Planning-July-2006]

12Evidence of this can be seen on the Wexford County Council Online Planning Portal IMAPS which refers to Planning Application: LAC0419 which describes the access road as subject to a Part 8 planning application for proposal “CARCUR PARK ACCESS ROAD (T5)”. However, when clicking on the Direct Link a message appears, “The application was not found”. [IMAPS – Planning Application: LAC0419]

13This shows that Mr Taaffe was completely incorrect in claiming in his letter of the 10th July 2024 to Cllr Forde that An Bord Pleanála had granted permission for the access road.

14Mr Taaffe in his letter of the 10th July 2024 confirms the access road serves a dual function: to provide access to residential zoned lands and also to provide the route to a potential third bridge crossing over the River Slaney.

An Bord Pleanála

15An Bord Pleanála was involved in a planning application for 413 housing units in 2020 on the residential zoned lands referred to in Mr Taaffe’s letter.

16The planning application for the 413 housing units was lodged with An Bord Pleanála on the 21st August 2020 and was granted by them on the 3rd December 2020 with a Case reference: TA26.308002. The full details of the application are on the An Bord Pleanála website. [Pleanala Website – Case 308002]

17An artist’s impression of the proposed development is contained on page 70 of the Design and Access Statement 2020 in the application. [Design and Access Statement 2020]

18The access road Mr Taaffe refers to in his letter is marked on a copy of the Artists Impression by Martin Power as “existing narrow access road”, which leads up to the Dublin-Rosslare Railway Line and with a new railway bridge crossing, provides access to the 413-house development. [Martin Powers Marked Copy of Artists Impression]

19An inspector from An Bord Pleanála, as part of assessing the planning application, visited the site and provided a report on the 19th November 2020. [Inspectors Report – 308/R308002]

20Page 4 of the Inspector’s Report, paragraph 2.2, clarifies the boundary of the site, confirming the site is “positioned between the railway line and the shore line of the estuary”.

21In reference to the access road referred to in Mr Taaffe’s letter, the An Bord Pleanála inspector notes further in paragraph 2.2, page 4, that this access road, “Orbital Route, stops at the railway line on the other side of the application land”.

22These statements by the inspector clearly show the access road is not included in the ABP planning application and therefore Mr Taaffe is incorrect in asserting that An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for the access road.

23Furthermore, Mr Taaffe accepts in his letter to Cllr Forde on the 10th July 2024 that the road is only partially constructed but fails to answer the questions he was asked as referred to above ie: “Was the quality of this new road compromised because Wexford County Council had not removed the 3000 cm of landfill?”

Railway Bridge Crossing

24A further question submitted by Tom Forde to Mr Taaffe in July 2024 was “what planning process provided planning for the railway bridge crossing to facilitate access to the proposed development?” However, Mr Taaffe failed to answer that question.

25Referring back to the artist’s impression of the proposed development, Martin Power has highlighted the location of the “proposed railway bridge crossing” connecting the access road to the proposed development. [Martin Powers Marked Copy of Artists Impression]

26Despite Mr Taaffe’s failure to clarify in his letter of the 10th July 2024 to Cllr Forde what planning was in place for the proposed railway bridge, the council commenced the construction of the new bridge over the railway line in January 2025.

27When the new bridge was under construction in August 2025, Martin Power sought to establish what grant of planning was in place.

Background to Railway Bridge

28Over two years previously on the 3rd February 2023 Martin Power asked Deputy Mick Barry TD to submit a parliamentary question to Iarnrod Eireann seeking all details relating to the proposed new railway bridge. The response to the parliamentary question and the enclosed documents are available for inspection with Martin Power.

29In response to the parliamentary question, the then Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade, provided a formal written reply dated 17 May 2023, enclosing the Acceptance in Principle letter, the Approval in Principle Design Statement and the General Arrangement Drawings relating to the proposed bridge. [2023-05-17 – Source Summary — IE CEO Response — PQ15608-23]

30The bridge was designed by Wexford County Council and their consulting engineers, Malone O’Regan, and sent to Iarnrod Eireann for approval in June 2022.

31On the 17th November 2022 Iarnrod Eireann issued an Approval in Principle letter. [2022-11-17 – Source Summary – AIP Letter – Carcur OB Wexford – (Ref PQ15608-23)]

32The Approval in Principle letter had general arrangement drawings attached which clearly show that the bridge was designed by Wexford County Council personnel and Malone O’Regan consultants for Wexford County Council. [2022-11-17 Source Summary – General Arrangement PR1-TA-02 – ref PQ15608-23]

33A further general arrangement drawing attached to the Approval in Principle letter shows a section through the proposed bridge with a carriageway of 6.0 m which is not consistent with the width of the adjoining inner relief road. [2022-11-17 – Source Summary – General Arrangement PR1-TA-03 – ref PQ15608-23]

34A design statement was also attached to the Iarnrod Eireann approval of the 17th November 2022. [2022-11-17 – Source Summary – AIP Form App A Carcur Bridge Rev B – (Ref PQ15608-23)]

35Page 2 of this Approval in Principle Design Statement notes that “planning permission is in place” for the proposed bridge.

Correspondence with Commission for Rail Regulation (CRR)

36As the Iarnrod Eireann design statement on Page 2 noted “Planning permission in place” Martin Power contacted CRR on the 10th September 2025, to obtain a copy of the grant of planning for the new railway bridge. [2025-09-10 – Email to Catriona CRR from Martin Oversight & Planning Permissions re Park_Carcur]

37The Commission for Railway Regulation in an email to Martin Power on the 11th September 2025 confirmed that the Commission for Railway Regulation approved the design and construction of the proposed bridge in November 2023. The CRR also said that all planning queries should be directed to Wexford County Council. [2025-09-11 – Email from Caitriona CRR to Martin – Oversight & Planning Permissions re Park_Carcur]

38On the 11th September 2025 Martin Power asked the Commission for Railway Regulation to clarify what planning was in place as referred to in the Iarnrod Eireann design statement. [2025-09-11 – Email from Martin Power to Caitriona – Oversight & Planning Permissions re Park_Carcur]

39For the avoidance of doubt Martin Power on the 12th September 2025 again sent the Wexford County Council design drawings (approved by Iarnrod Eireann on the 17th November 2022) to the Commission for Railway Regulation to clarify that it was these drawings that the Commission for Railway Regulation approved in November 2023. [2025-09-12 – Email from MP to CRR]

40In reply the Commission for Railway Regulation on the 16th September 2025 confirmed that the Wexford County Council / Iarnrod Eireann drawings were the drawings approved by the Commission for Railway Regulation in November 2023. [2025-09-16 – Email from Caitriona re WCC responsibility – Gmail – Oversight & Planning Permissions re Park_Carcur]

Communication with Planning Department Wexford County Council

41Martin Power met with planning officials in Wexford County Council Offices on the 12th September 2025 as directed by the CRR on the 11th September 2025 and they could not locate the planning file for the new bridge despite the fact that the new bridge was under construction and visible from the County Council offices in Carriglawn.

42The planning officials recommended that Martin Power search the Wexford County Council Planning Portal IMAPS. However, when clicking on the Direct Link a message appears, “The application was not found” – [IMAPS – Planning Application: LAC0419]

Correspondence with District Councillors

43Arising from the fact that no planning file was available for the new bridge (under construction) Martin Power wrote to the 7 councillors in the Wexford Municipal District on the 15th September 2025 asking them to check what planning was in place and where could the planning file be inspected. [2025-09-15 – Letter to 7 Councillors]

44Councillors Leonard Kelly and Robbie Staples passed this query on to Graeme Hunt Executive Planner Wexford County Council who replied to both councillors on the 24th September 2025. [2025-09-24 – Email from Graeme Hunt via Cllr LK]

45As requested Martin Power inspected the An Bord Pleanala file ABP 308002-20 in the planning offices of Wexford County Council on the 29th September 2025 and also examined the An Bord Pleanala website in relation to planning reference ABP 308002-20.

46One of the documents missing in the hard copy file was a pre-planning report of the 17th June 2020, albeit this report is on the An Bord Pleanala website. [Pre-Planning Report 17 June 2020]

47Midway on page 5 of this pre-planning report, in response to “access” to the site questions, it is confirmed that “the rail crossing bridge does not form part of the subject application.” And the response further states: “the bridge over the rail line has already been accommodated through the Part 8 process with full agreement from the Council.”

48Another document not available in the hardcopy file was the An Bord Pleanala Inspector’s Report of the 19th November 2020, albeit this report is on the An Bord Pleanala website. [Inspectors Report – 308/R308002]

49Page 6 paragraph 3.5 of this report shows the An Bord Pleanala Inspector’s comments in relation to the railway bridge: “vehicular access to the site is proposed from a new bridge over the railway line, previously permitted by Wexford County Council under a Part VIII procedure.”

50Furthermore, a basic examination of the site layout drawings shows that the site the subject of ABP-308002-20 is defined by a red-line boundary, where it can be clearly seen that the railway bridge is outside the red-line boundary. [Red Line Boundary Map]

51Therefore the email sent from Graeme Hunt to Cllrs Kelly and Staples on the 24th September 2025 is wholly inaccurate in that it claims that planning for the new railway bridge crossing at Park now under construction is included in planning approved under ABP 308002-20 which clearly it is not.

52Accordingly, Martin Power wrote to Councillor Kelly on the 3rd October 2025 enclosing the pre-planning report, the inspector’s report and the redline boundary map in order to demonstrate that Graeme Hunt’s email was totally inaccurate. [2025-10-03 – Letter to Cllr Kelly]

53On the 9th October 2025 Councillor Kelly informed Martin Power that he had forwarded his letter of the 3rd October 2025 directly to Graeme Hunt on the 7th October 2025. [2025-10-07 – Kelly Reply to MP – Gmail – Important Correspondence]

54Martin Power also wrote to Councillor Staples on the 3rd October 2025 enclosing the preplanning report, the inspector’s report and redline boundary map. [2025-10-03 – Letter to Robbie Staples]

55As a result Councillor Staples spoke to Graeme Hunt on the 23rd October 2025 and Graeme Hunt confirmed he would correct his email of the 24th September 2025 and said he had no intention of misleading anyone as seen from paragraph 4 of an email from Councillor Staples to Martin Power on the 24th October 2025. [2025-10-24 – Email from RS to MP – Gmail – Disappointed]

Parliamentary Questions

56In order to clear up the uncertainty in relation to the planning for the new railway bridge Martin Power asked Deputy Ruth Coppinger on the 23rd October 2025 to send a PQ to the Minister for Transport Darragh O Brien.

57The PQ was stated as follows – Dail Question No: 333 – “To ask the Minister for Transport if Iarnród Éireann will clarify their understanding of the planning permission which is in place for the new railway bridge over the Dublin Rosslare railway line at Park/Carcur Wexford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.” [2025-11-07 – Gmail – FW_ PQ Referred_ 58852_25, for answer 04_11_2025, Written from – Ruth Coppinger]

58Arising from the first PQ sent by Deputy Coppinger on the 23rd October 2025, the CEO of Iarnrod Eireann Mary Considine in a reply of the 6th November 2025 said the planning for the bridge is “the subject of a planning application by a third party developer”. [2025-11-06-Letter-from-Iarnrod-Eireann-Ruth]

59Deputy Coppinger’s second PQ of the 13th November 2025 was, “To ask the Minister for Transport further Parliamentary Question No. 333 of 4 November 2025, to urgently request Iarnród Éireann in the interest of passenger safety to clarify the precise planning reference number for the planning permission for the new railway overbridge at Park/Carcur Wexford obtained by a third-party developer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.” [2025-11-21 – Ruth C to Martin Power by Enda Kelly Oireachtas – Gmail – FW_ eReplies to your Parliamentary Question]

60With regard to the second PQ the Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien did not put this precise question to Iarnrod Eireann, as he should have done, but instead answered the question himself, thus preventing Iarnrod Eireann from answering this important question and clarifying once and for all what planning permission is in place for this new overbridge at Park/Carcur.

61Therefore it appears that Iarnrod Eireann are relying on the planning obtained by a developer for the 413 houses planning permission reference ABP-308002-20.

62This reply from Iarnrod Eireann and the minister is consistent with the reply given by the CEO Eddie Taaffe and Executive Planner Graeme Hunt.

63Accordingly the CEO of Wexford County Council Eddie Taaffe, the Executive Planner in Wexford County Council, and now the CEO of Iarnrod Eireann Mary Considine are claiming that planning for the new railway overbridge is included in the An Bord Pleanala planning for the 413 housing development when clearly it is not as set out above.

64As it stands, a new bridge was built over the Dublin–Rosslare railway line, and Iarnrod Eireann are unable/unwilling to clarify what planning, if any, is in place for this new railway bridge. [Click to view – 2025-10-04 – Bridge Photo _184221]

Email to Wexford County Council Chairman

65On the 8th December 2025 Martin Power wrote to Joe Sullivan, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, requesting him to ask at the Council meeting on the 8th December 2025 what planning is in place for the new railway overbridge and where the planning file can be inspected. [2025-12-08 – E-Letter – MP to JS]

66Despite the serious nature of the letter the Chairman did not reply.

Communication with Iarnród Éireann

67Also on the 8th December 2025 Martin Power emailed Niall McNamara, Head Engineer with Iarnrod Eireann who was overseeing the construction of the new bridge, in order to establish what planning is in place for the new railway overbridge. [2025-12-08 – MP to NM – Gmail – For the Attention of Niall McNamara]

68Martin Power spoke with Niall McNamara on the 12th December 2025 who confirmed that Iarnrod Eireann are relying on Condition 18A of the planning for the 413 houses ABP 308002-20 as planning for the new bridge and this conversation was summarised in an email to Niall McNamara on the 15th December 2025. [2025-12-15 MP Email to NM – Gmail – For the Attention of Niall McNamara]

Independent Engineer / Surveyors Report

69An independent engineer/surveyor inspected the planning file for the 413 house development in the Planning Department of Wexford County Council on the 15th January 2026 and established that planning for the new railway overbridge was not included in that permission but was covered in a Part 8 application. However, Wexford County Council to date have failed to provide the Part 8 file to the engineer/surveyor. [Engineers-Report-Jan-2026]

Extension of Planning Permission for 413 Housing Units

70The grant of planning for the 413 housing units expired on the 3rd December 2025 and the developer on the 17th December 2025 applied to Wexford County Council for an “extension of duration.”

71The Wexford County Council website which hosted the extension application noted that third party submissions had to be submitted by the 6th February 2026 and accordingly Martin Power submitted his objections before close of business on the 6th February 2026 outlining amongst other things that the development could not proceed where no planning for the bridge was available. [3rd-Party-Submission-6th-Feb-2026]

72It transpired the Planning Department ignored Martin Power’s submission and actually granted the extension on the 6th February 2026 — the very day the third-party submission window closed.

73The question is how can Wexford County Council grant an extension of planning for the 413 house development in light of the above irregularities?

74In summary, why are five different officials claiming that the grant of planning for the access road and new railway overbridge is covered under the planning for the adjoining 413 houses when clearly it is not?