by Alan Jacques
COUNCILLORS have called for an extension of the submissions deadline on the preferred route corridor for the Foynes to Limerick road improvement scheme until after the Council’s executive report is available.
Last month, Limerick City and County Council in consultation with Transportation Infrastructure Ireland (TII) revealed the preferred route corridor running from the N69 at Foynes towards the N21 at Rathkeale, providing a bypass for Adare, before connecting to the M20 motorway into Limerick.
Speaking at this Tuesday’s monthly Adare-Rathkeale district meeting, Cllr Stephen Keary said people were disappointed not to see how this decision was arrived at.
“The whole process is flawed. People have a right to see how you arrived at this decision. I am calling for the timeline to be extended until after the executive summary is made available,” said Cllr Keary.
“The cart has been put before the horse. Under Freedom of Information you are obliged to give this data to the public. This decision will have a massive economic impact on businesses and they need to know the rationale behind how you arrived at this route.”
Cllr Tom Neville (FG) supported Cllr Neville’s call for an extension deadline. He also described it as “absolutely shocking” that there is no slipway for Croagh on the new Limerick to Foynes route.
“You are bypassing Croagh. It’s a village. It’s there. It’s not going away,” he declared.
District director Caroline Curley told councillors she would refer back to them on the executive summary at the next meeting.
“There is a process by how these things are done,” she explained.
