James Howard: the problem with levying new house-builds to fund transport infrastructure is that the gain in property values accrues to everyone near a Maynooth line station, and not just those new-builds who have paid towards it. If Residential Property Tax were not frozen (more political cowardice) this might not be such a problem.
Looking at the Hazlehatch to Cherry Orchard section (a) there is loads of zoned/zonable land, (b) a likely increase in train frequency when the new PPT tunnel service comes in, with the opportunity to run extra stopping services from the Hazlehatch turnback and (c) a mothballed station at Kishogue just gathering dust and weeds.
As for the Cabra site, it's relatively small and central, and rail connections are not all that vital.
I sometimes wish that those who formulate policy would get out and look at the ground in some areas and see what's possible.
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