Open Letter to the Meath County Council Executive

 

For the attention of:

 

Kieran Kehoe – Chief Executive

Martin Murray – Director of Services (Navan Municipal District)

Des Foley – Director of Services (Corporate Affairs & Governance)

Fiona Fallon – Director of Services (Housing & Homelessness)

Gareth McMahon – Director of Services (Planning & Development)

 

This open letter represents the views of concerned residents of County Meath who support the principle of Short-Term Accommodation (STA) but believe the current process is fundamentally flawed. We formally call on Meath County Council to withdraw the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) associated with the proposed STA site at Kentstown Road / Metges Road, Navan.

 

The decision to pursue a CPO for this site, without first conducting a county-wide assessment of alternative locations, undermines confidence in the planning process. Using Part 8, where the Council acts as both applicant and decision-maker, appears to stretch its intended purpose and raises serious concerns about fairness.

 

More suitable sites with fewer obstacles and faster delivery potential have been publicly discussed, including on social media. Yet these alternatives appear to have been ignored or dismissed without proper scrutiny. If they were considered, it was done without transparency or accountability. This raises serious concerns about due diligence and fairness.

 

The local community feels blindsided and disenfranchised. Residents are experiencing genuine anxiety, with some reporting sleepless nights and deep concern for their families. The perception is that this proposal is being imposed without consultation and without regard for its impact on those who live closest to it.

 

It appears the approach may prioritise expediency over transparency, a direction that runs counter to the principles enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), particularly those relating to public participation, proportionality, and openness. Expediency may seem efficient now, but it will likely prove costly. Communities are already mobilising and pooling resources to challenge the proposal. This will likely lead to prolonged court proceedings and may ultimately prevent a STA for Co Meath being delivered at all.

 

The Council has exposed the process to potential successful legal challenges at every decision point. If the proposal proceeds in its current form, it is highly vulnerable to Judicial Review. Such a review would not be limited to the final Part 8 decision—it would likely examine the entire chain of decisions, including the classification of the site as derelict, the initiation and conduct of the CPO process, the lack of meaningful public engagement, and potential breaches of data protection obligations. The reputational damage to the Council, the financial cost of legal proceedings, and the delay or collapse of the project are all foreseeable outcomes.

 

There is also a widespread misconception that only the seven Navan Municipal District councillors will vote on the Part 8 proposal. This is incorrect. Because the proposed STA facility is intended to serve the entire county, all Meath County Councillors will vote on it, not just those representing Navan. This creates a real risk that councillors from outside Navan may vote in favour of the proposal simply because it is not located in their own constituency—regardless of whether the site is actually suitable. Such dynamics undermine the principles of proper planning and sustainable development. Wherever the STA is ultimately located, including if it is in Navan, the site must be selected through a transparent, expert-led process so that all councillors can vote on a proposal that is fit for purpose and legally sound.

 

Critically, the Law Reform Commission’s 2023 Report on Compulsory Acquisition of Land (LRC 127-2023) makes clear that acquiring authorities must establish the suitability of a site for its intended purpose before initiating a CPO. The report highlights that a clear, justified purpose must be established in advance, and that expert-led site selection is standard practice in other jurisdictions. It also emphasises that the process must be proportionate and evidence-based. By initiating a CPO for this specific site without reviewing other viable locations, the Council has effectively pre-determined the outcome. Any assessments carried out later as part of the Part 8 planning application will be fundamentally compromised, as the CPO has already locked in the site selection. This is not just poor planning—it is procedurally flawed and legally vulnerable.

 

This is not opposition to Short-Term Accommodation. In fact, it is the opposite—it is a call for a process that ensures an STA project can be successfully delivered. That means selecting a site that is genuinely fit for purpose, based on expert assessment and transparent engagement. While some may dismiss these concerns as NIMBYism, that label is a convenient shield used by those in authority to avoid addressing legitimate issues. This is not NIMBY—it is BITRY: Build In The Right Yard. The only responsible course of action is to withdraw the CPO and begin again, properly.

 

Meath County Council is urged to act now—before irreversible decisions are made.

 

Sincerely,

Residents of County Meath