A proposed €400million investment is “dependent” on the controversial Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road going ahead, it has emerged.
The €58million road which is critical to the Regeneration of Moyross, one of the country’s poorest areas, will go ahead, despite the Minister for Transport putting the project into doubt by delaying funding to progress the road for the past five months.
A source close to the Cabinet described Mr Ryan’s announcement as “an embarrassing u-turn” and that the Minister had been overruled by the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin as a €400m investment was dependent on the road going ahead.
The source said it was “agreed the decent thing to do would be to let (Mr Ryan) announce it himself”.
“The least (one) can do is let him perform his own u-turn,” they said, adding that the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste effectively ordered Minister Ryan to immediately release funding to progress the massive project, which had already been agreed and protected under the National Development Plan.
Other informed sources said that a “US company” was about to announce a major investment in a “medical facility” an that a Limerick company was to lead a housing development project – both which were conditional on the road going ahead.
Sources said both projects were part of a €400m investment across three sites which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Moyross community leaders, Limerick City and County Council, and Limerick Chamber, had all argued for Minister Ryan to release funding since last October, but despite €19m already spent on the project, Mr Ryan had held back funding and mooted the idea of considering an alternative transport plan for the area.
Eamon Ryan acknowledged the controversy had damaged the Green Party locally, a mere 12 months after it secured its first-ever Dail seat in Limerick City.
Limerick Green Party candidate Marie Keating today tweeted her resignation from the party due to the party leadership stance on the road, which saw funding delayed for the past five months while Mr Ryan mooted theories on opening up a railway station.
The Green Party’s Limerick chairman, John Humphreys, stepped down from the position but is remaining in the party, according to a report in today’s Limerick Leader.
Speaking on the Limerick Today programme on Live 95 radio this morning Minister Ryan acknowledged, “yes damage (has been done) in the short term, we understand local community frustrations”.
Moyross Parish Priest Fr Pat Hogan, who had led the comunity’s campaign to get the project over the line, said: “What the Minister was doing was utterly senseless, this road will bring investment and education, and education and a job are ways to freedom and the people here need that.”
Minister Ryan maintained he was “absolutely right” to have considered a variety of transport options for the area to make sure “we get this right”.
Local Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan welcomed the announcement and tweeted: “Great result for the people of #Limerick especially those in Moyross – this is the start – now to build the houses promised – invest in the wonderful @CMoyross”.
Kieran O’Donnell, Fine Gael, and Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil, both agreed Minister Ryan had “finally seen common sense”.
Independent Councillor Frankie Daly, who campaigned fiercely for the road to go ahead, said: “The people have spoken, I’m over the moon, it’s a game changer for Limerick”.
