asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the position regarding the right of way or access to Colemanstown Cemetery, Rathcoole, County Dublin; and whether any application was made to or granted by him to annul the right of way into this cemetery.
Written Answers. - Rathcoole (Dublin) Cemetery Access.
146.
No application has been submitted by Dublin County Council to my Department to extinguish a right of way into this cemetery. Dublin County Council submitted the Compulsory Purchase (Colmanstown Burial Ground Access) Order, 1984, to my Department for confirmation on 5 February 1985. The purpose of the order was the acquisition of lands to provide an access to the burial ground. An objection was made to the order, a public local inquiry was held on 26 April 1985, and the order was annulled by the Minister for the Environment on 7 November 1985. In deciding to annul the order, the Minister took into consideration the objection made to the order, the evidence presented at the public local inquiry and the report of the person who held the inquiry. The council was informed at the time that the Minister considered that the compulsory acquisition of land, as proposed, for the provision of a road to a burial ground of unknown capacity would not be justified having regard also to the failure of the council to demonstrate that alternative measures could not be taken to ensure access.