View from the Glen 800 wide 72dpi

User Rating: 5 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active
 

Truck traffic 3

Some politicians are telling us to wait for a bypass and not to press for a ring road for the town. They claim that a ring road will damage our chances of getting a bypass. This article looks at the political reality of our chances of ever getting a bypass approved.

 

Having been approved in 2000, the Cahir to Pallas Green bypass progressed through the various stages and was ready for purchase of land by 2010. However, due to the recession, it did not proceed any further.  However, instead of being reactivated as soon as money became available, it was relegated to a bucket of 22 road projects "to be prioritised during the lifetime of the Plan". This means that it might be prioritised, but there is no commitment whatsoever to proceed with the bypass of our town.

A number of organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce, Jobs4Tipp and March4Tipp are now pressing the Government for a ring road, on the basis that it is highly unlikely that we will get a bypass within 15 - 20 years and a ring road can be built much faster.

March4Tipp conducted environmental monitoring that showed alarming levels of noise and air pollution that are above World Health Organisation maximum levels and that are linked with very serious health consequences.

Most people will concede that major capital projects are usually carried out where there are powerful politicians involved. Have a look at the list below, which shows the 22 projects to be "prioritised" under the Plan and see for yourself the political power and influence that attaches to each one.  Our bypass is the only one without a single Government TD. Many of the rest have powerful Government Ministers and Junior Ministers.

                                    

Project

Minister/TD

Party

N2 Clontibret to the Border

Minister Heather Humphries

FG

N2 Rath Roundabout to Kilmoon Cross

Minister Heather Humphries

FG

N2 Ardee to south of Castleblaney

Fergus O’Dowd (Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport

Gerry Adams

FG

SF

N3 Virginia Bypass

Minister Heather Humphries

FG

M4 Maynooth to Leixlip

Martin Heydon TD, Chairman of the FG Party.

FG

N4 Mullingar to Longford

Peter Burke TD

Kevin Boxer Moran,  Minister of State for the Office of Public Works

FG

IND

N4 Carrick on Shannon

Tony McLoughlin TD

FG (2xFF, 1 SF)

M11 from Jn 4 M50 to Kilmacanogue

Simon Harris, Minister for Health

Andrew Doyle, Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Agriculture

FG

FG

N11 Oilgate to Rosslare

Michael D’Arcy TD, Minister of State Department of Finance

Paul Kehoe TD, Minister of State and the Department of Defence

FG

FG

N13 Ballybofey Stranorlar Bypass

Joe McHugh, Minister for Education and Skills

FG

N13/N14/N56 Letterkenny Bypass and Dual

Carriageway to Manorcunningham

Joe McHugh, Minister for Education and Skills

FG

N14 Manorcunningham to Lifford

Joe McHugh, Minister for Education and Skills

FG

N17 Knock to Collooney

Michael Ring, Minister for Rural and Community Development

Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach

FG

FG

N21 Newcastle West Bypass

Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister of State Public Procurement

Tom Neville TD

FG

FG

N21 Abbeyfeale

Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister of State Public Procurement

Tom Neville TD

FG

FG

N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction

No Government TD

N24 Waterford to Cahir

John Halligan TD, Minister of State for Training and Skills

John Deasy TD

IND

FG

N25 Waterford to Glenmore

John Halligan TD, Minister of State for Training and Skills

John Deasy TD

IND

FG

N25 Carrigtohill to Middleton

David Stanton TD, Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration

FG

N52 Tullamore to Kilbeggan

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD former Minister of State for Health

FG

N3 Clonee to M50

Regina Doherty, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Helen McEntee TD, Minister of State for European Affairs

FG

FG

Summary

  • 22 Projects
  • 18 are in Ministers’ or Junior Ministers’ constituencies
  • 1 is in the constituency of the Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport
  • 1 is in the constituency of the Chairman of the Fine Gael Party
  • 1 is in the constituency of a former Junior Minister (FG)
  • Only the N24 bypass is in a constituency with no Government Minister, Junior Minister, Party Chairperson, Transport Committee Chairperson or FG TD

So, do we tell political candidates we want a ring road now, or do we wait for the tooth fairy bypass?

To read more about the differences between a ring road and a bypass, please see THIS ARTICLE.

 

Pin It