Plans for conservation works on the Silver Bridge in Palmerstown need to be elaborated upon according to David Gardiner, Workers’ Party representative in Palmerstown-Fonthill.

He criticised Fingal County Council, responsible for the future of the bridge, for a lack of detail in their plan and failure to follow-up.

“The allocation of money to conservation works last year was obviously news to be welcomed, but it gave no more details than that, and there has been no update to the public since.”

“Will these efforts simply prevent the bridge from collapsing, or will they include works to make it possible to cross over this part of the Liffey once more? The latter would no doubt be the better option.”

He continued, stating that renovation works could play into a bigger scheme of making the Liffey Valley more accessible.

“It would be a small step in the right direction towards making the Liffey Valley a major recreational resource that local people could make use of on a daily basis.”

“This idea was championed by Workers’ Party TD Tomás MacGiolla in the 1980s, and we still hold firm in the belief that the natural beauty along the Liffey should be made as visible and as accessible to all as possible.”

“I’m calling on Fingal County Council, in collaboration with South Dublin County Council, to announce detailed plans for the future of the bridge, with the end goal of making it crossable once again.”