A record of the actions, meetings, and correspondence that made up the campaign against Option 7, from the launch of this website on 24 May 2026 to the decision on 19 August 2026.
Irish Rail published the Depot Access Road Option Selection report (Report v05) together with three appendices: the options summary, the full revised Multi-Criteria Assessment, and the depot access road drawings. Option 7 is no longer the preferred option.
Revised Option 1A is now the preferred option and the only one marked to progress to Stage 2. Day-to-day access comes from the N25 at Junction 3, through Carrigtwohill Main Street and east along Carrigane Road, with a short dedicated access road into the depot. The OBY7 rail bridge is widened for the approximately 105 specialist rail vehicle deliveries needed for the new fleet, part of Cork County Council's approved URDF scheme is delivered with improved pedestrian and cycle facilities around OBY7, a section of the approved Carrigtwohill to Midleton Active Travel Route is realigned around the northern depot boundary, and construction traffic comes directly off the N25 via the Ballyadam (Amgen) site.
Revised MCA scores: Option 1A 4.5 (Progress to Stage 2: Yes) | Option 4 3.7 | Option 5 3.4 | Options 2, 6 and 8 3.2 | Option 7 2.8 | Option 3 2.7. Option 7 had scored 4.7 in the PC2 report of November 2025, when it was recommended as the Emerging Preferred Option.
The report's Depot Access Road Overview section records the community's part in this directly: "A community-led website was established to advocate for changes to the preferred access route (Option 7). A large number of petitions were submitted regarding the preferred depot access route." and "In response to the feedback received, the project team committed to reviewing both the assessment process and the depot access route options. This review has been progressed."
Additional information listed as informing the revised options: updated flood risk information, local access road characteristics, ongoing environmental survey findings, confirmation of Water-Rock Level Crossing arrangements, and the opportunity to use the Ballyadam (Amgen) site for construction access from the N25.
Twelve weeks from the launch of this website to the reversal. Thank you to every resident who wrote a submission, every neighbour who shared the site, every public representative who walked the route and raised it with Irish Rail, and everyone who stood at Cotter's Gate on 11 June. The mature native trees are still standing and no residential front gardens on the Option 7 route are being taken. Credit is also due to the Irish Rail project team, who committed to reviewing the assessment and then did it. Public outcome page →
Still to come: a three-week local consultation on Option 1A runs from 19 August to 9 September 2026, with an in-person event at My Place, Midleton on Wednesday 2 September from 4pm to 8pm. Irish Rail will then complete a Public Consultation Feedback Report, finish EIA surveys, continue engagement with directly affected landowners, and lodge the draft Railway Order with An Coimisiún Pleanála in Winter 2026/27.
The in-person event for the three-week local consultation on the revised preferred option, which runs from 19 August to 9 September 2026. The project team will be present with the Option 1A proposal.
Worth attending to see the revised design and to ask about the detail — the OBY7 bridge widening, the realigned Active Travel Route, and the construction access arrangements.
Campaign position: our objection was to Option 7 and it has been answered. We are not seeking any further change to the route, and we are not taking a public position for or against Option 1A. Some neighbours are significantly affected by the proximity of the depot itself, which no choice of access road resolves, and we don't underestimate what that means for them.
Irish Rail requested access to local land in order to carry out an ecology review.
In the course of that conversation, Irish Rail mentioned that the new access road proposal would be published on Wednesday 19 August 2026, and that a public consultation has been arranged for My Place, Midleton on Wednesday 2 September from 4pm to 8pm.
No indication was given as to which option has been selected. Residents are awaiting the published proposal in the hope that Option 7 has been set aside.
Local residents met with Jerry Buttimer TD (Minister of State for Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands & Rural Transport), Cllr. Anthony Barry, Rory Cocking (Parliamentary Assistant and Cork County Councillor for the East Cork Municipal District) and Noel McCarthy TD (Fine Gael, Cork East).
All were committed to support the campaign. They planned to meet with Irish Rail CARC project leaders to emphasise the unsuitability of our residential area to industrial traffic
Local residents met with Cllr. Anthony Barry, Rory Cocking (Parliamentary Assistant and Cork County Councillor for the East Cork Municipal District) and Noel McCarthy TD (Fine Gael, Cork East). They walked the proposed Option 7 route with locals.
All three committed to support the campaign. We are hopeful that they will raise a Dáil question in consultation with Jerry Buttimer TD, Minister of State for Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands & Rural Transport, before the summer recess.
The Irish Rail PC2 public consultation on the depot access road closed today. On June 15th, the Irish Independent published an article on the campaign: Residents worried about preferred depot access route in Cork rail access plan.
Thank you to every resident, neighbour, supporter, journalist, and public representative who sent a submission, attended a meeting, shared the website, or stood with us at Cotter's Gate. The campaign continues — Irish Rail's revised Multi-Criteria Assessment and the Railway Order stage are still ahead, and the case against Option 7 has only grown stronger.
Residents and supporters submitted formal objections to Irish Rail throughout the consultation period, sent to CACR@irishrail.ie and via the email tool that was hosted at no2option7.org. By the 10 June online meeting Irish Rail had received around 800 emails from the public, with further submissions in the final week.
If you are free, please come to Cotter's Gate at 8pm on Thursday 11 June for a group photo of local supporters on the Option 7 route. Lynda will submit the photo with a press release.
Irish Rail and Roughan & O'Donovan hosted an online public meeting as part of the PC2 consultation. The engineers presented a full overview of Phase 2 — new stations, bridges, and associated works across the scheme.
Over 20 people attended. Residents had approximately one hour to ask questions. Almost every question — all but one — was about the depot access road. The project team received around 800 emails to date from the public.
9 days to go until the deadline. We would love to reach 1,000 submissions — please encourage everyone you know to email CACR@irishrail.ie or use the easy email template at no2option7.org before 19 June.
Press release prepared for the Irish Independent outlining the campaign against Option 7, the Irish Rail MCA revision and political support from Liam Quaide TD, Mona Stromsoe of Aontú, and Cynthia Ni Mhurachu MEP
Formal emails sent to senior officials across the Department of Transport and Cork County Council, and to cycling journalist Cian McGinty of irishcycle.com, outlining grounds of objection and requesting intervention or coverage before the 19 June consultation deadline.
Irish Rail confirmed that it is revising the Multi-Criteria Assessment and the depot access road design in light of points raised by the local community.
Option 7 has not been withdrawn — Irish Rail has given no date for when the revised assessment will be available.
Our objections are being heard. Keep the pressure on — the consultation closes 19 June 2026.
Cynthia Ni Mhurachu sent a formal letter to Irish Rail requesting information on behalf of an affected resident.
Affected residents met with Liam Quaide TD to present the case against Option 7.
A large group of residents and members of the public attended the PC2 public consultation meeting hosted by Roughan & O'Donovan Consulting Engineers (acting on behalf of Irish Rail) at My Place, Midleton. Attendees overwhelmingly and publicly opposed Option 7 directly to the engineers present. The engineering team did not appear to engage meaningfully with the concerns raised.
The campaign website was created and distributed to supporters across the local community. Many residents responded by sending emails of objection to Irish Rail, adding their voices to the formal opposition to Option 7.
Affected residents met with Mona Stromsoe of Aontú to outline the campaign and grounds of objection.