Picture; Keith Wiseman
LIMERICK councillors have deferred a decision on the controversial route of the Northern Distributor road with the proposed route being described as “crazy” by one councillor.
At their monthly meeting on Tuesday, members agreed to make no moves on the plan for the time being after a decision on the route was deferred by members of Clare county council a week earlier.
Around 100 houses are located on the road and there are objections to the route on environmental, economic and social grounds.
During the debate, councillors deplored the fact that the preferred route – one of a number of options – will require family homes to be demolished
Cllr Shane Clifford (FF) said it was vital that the members “defer a decision until we have all the facts. This is a decision we must be very sure of. This will be the most important road project we will decide on in the lifetime of this council”.
Sinn Fein’s comhairleoir Séighin Ó Ceallaigh said that as well as the concerns of residents, the proposed route is “crazy”.
“We’re proposing to put a new road 500 meters from a tolled motorway junction. It’s obvious that motorists will just use the road to avoid the tolls. They’ll slip off and slip on again to avoid paying the fee”.
In Clare, the Northern Distributor Concerned Residents say it will divide the community of Parteen in two and aggravate the flood risk in Clonlara.
Residents have taken to the streets in protest on a number of occasions and local representatives have been vocal in their condemnation of what they describe as a lack of concern for the impact on the community, and a lack of transparency in the public consultation process
Meelick-based councillor Cathal Crowe (FF) was refused sight of the submissions from members of the public, corporate concerns and bodies such as the University of Limerick, which would benefit from greater access to the campus if the preferred route went ahead.
He followed up with a request to see the submissions under the Freedom of Information act, which allows access to public documents but was again refused, on the basis that the submissions were made with a guarantee of confidentiality.
After the Limerick councillors agreed to defer the decision, chief executive Conn Murray warned them they were only buying time until the end of the month.
“This is a critical project and it is not to be rushed into, but this is a statutory process and the council must make a decision before July 31,” he said.
