by Andrew Carey
andrew@limerickpost.ie
HUNDREDS of people have voiced concern that the new Limerick to Foynes road will split communities throughout the county.
Several public meetings have been held by community groups who have called on the National Roads Authority (NRA) to address concerns over Compulsory Purchase Orders, contamination of private wells as well as the division of farms and communities.
Kilcornan Community Council chairman Randal Howlett said that local people were calling for assurance as well as further information.
“All we have seen is a limited amount of detail provided on a website. What we want is assurance. This road has to be provided by 2030 and I would hate to see any element of steam rolling”.
Urging the NRA to be more open about its plans, Mr Howlett said they “must understand they are dealing with a rural area where people have single wells and there are fears of contamination. We don’t know if that is the case, but we haven’t had any answers.”
Local Independent councillor Emmett O’Brien said many people had relayed their concerns to him, quite often calling to his home late at night.
“People are not opposed to this road because they are aware of the important of upgrading infrastructure and of the necessity to service Foynes Port which is key for the region,
“But the lack of realtime and relevant information is the recurring theme from all the public meetings. One of the proposed routes is said to be located within a 300 metre corridor but there is no indication id this will be moved and to what extent it will affect local communities.
He said that the corridor passes just 50 yards in front of his own front gates and that both he and his council colleagues only became aware of the proposed routes just an hour before the public announcement and they had “effectively zero input” into what the proposed routes were likely to be.
The question of whether the new road upgrade would facilitate the much debated Adare by-pass was also raised.
Three of the proposed routes by-pass Adare but Cllr O’Brien said that one of the routes was “causing a lot of consternation as it stretches through Patrickswell, Clarina, Kildimo, Kilcornan, Askeaton and Pallaskenry”.
“We know that a route will be selected before the end of the year and that we have to have a road to connect to a motorway system but the way it is being rolled out has been appalling,” added Cllr O’Brien.
Echoing those sentiments, Mr Howlett said, “It is unclear exactly where the 300 metre corridor will sneak through and the real fear is that it could be adjusted or abolished altogether. Therefore, we are calling representatives of the NRA to attend the public meetings and allay these fears.
Public submissions on the proposed routes are invited by April 10 .
