by Alan Jacques
LIMERICK Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan is driving plans to see a route selection and planning process restarted for the Adare bypass.
Deputy O’Donovan has secured the agreement of the Minister for Transport, Paschal Donohoe TD, to amend the Roads Bill 2014. The Limerick TD sought an amendment that would allow the National Roads Authority (NRA) to carry out pre-planning consultations with An Bord Pleanála before making applications for planning permission to construct new roads.
“I met with officials of the NRA, Limerick County Council and the Department of Transport after the decision was made by An Bord Pleanála to reject the proposed Adare bypass. One of the issues raised was that the NRA was not allowed to have a pre-planning meeting with the Bord as part of the route selection and design of the route,” Deputy O’Donovan explained.
“I found this bizarre and said at the time that most people building houses or extensions have pre-planning meetings, and yet we have a situation where major road projects can’t follow the same process,” he added.
O’Donovan insists that the Roads Bill would be of major importance to advancing the Adare bypass and other projects. He claims his amendment ensures a “clear planning process”.
“There was no point in starting another route selection process for Adare with this issue unresolved. It could have meant that millions more would be wasted after an incomplete process and we would continue to be left with no route. Under my proposal, Councils and the NRA will be able to trash out issues before costly applications are made. It might sound like an obvious thing to do, but without this change these discussions could not take place,” O’Donovan predicts.
