BREAKING: Transport Minister confirms Coonagh-Knockalisheen road 'will proceed' as planned

THE Minister for Transport has confirmed the €58m Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road project will be go ahead in full.

There has been controversy in recent weeks over the delay in progressing the project with Green Party TD Brian Leddin indicating that just two thirds of the road would be built.

However, Eamon Ryan has now confirmed the project will completed in its entirety.

"The road project is going to go ahead, it will going to go ahead from Coonagh to the Knockalisheen junction and see an upgrade of Moyross Avenue and the Knockalisheen Road at the same time," he told Live 95's Limerick Today programme.

Mr Ryan confirmed that both the Taoiseach and Tanáiste have spoken to him about the project in recent days and that he met with senior officials from Limerick City and County Council last week and again yesterday.

"We agreed we would look to see are there options in terms of whether variations (to the project) were possible - to look in detail at the type of contract and they came back to us and said it doesn't look like there is a way of doing that. We do not to delay the project - if we had to start the process  again it would be a three year wait," he said.

Minister @EamonRyan has given the green light to the existing plans for construction of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road.

— Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) February 10, 2021

The Minister added that he is aware of the strong views in the community and Moyross in particular: "We listened to the local community and that is a community that has been waiting for a long time and you don't want a further three year delay so we agreed, on that basis, that we will proceed with the road, sign the contract and get in built," he said adding there will be no delays in progressing the building of the road.

Minister Ryan said bus lanes and better pedestrian access will be developed in Moyross in tandem with the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road project.

There has been a broad welcoming of his comments this morning.

Good news at last on Coonagh/Knockliseen Rd to be signed off by @EamonRyan. Well done to all the efforts of many people who supported this. @MoyrossResForum @CMoyross @MoyrossAlliance @LimerickCouncil @Live95fmNews

— Mayor Michael Collins (@cllrmcollins) February 10, 2021

Statement on behalf of Moyross Partners
After hearing the heartfelt and educated pleas of a community and city, Moyross Partners are delighted to announce that agreement has been reached with Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, on the completion of the Coonagh-Knockalisheen

— Build-our-road (@buildourroad) February 10, 2021

Breaking News; I welcome the announcement just now by Transport Minister @EamonRyan on @Live95fmNews with Joe Nash that the final phase of Coonagh to Knockalisheen road is now to Go Ahead with no Delays. Great news for Moyross and Limerick City @buildourroad @MoyrossResForum

— Kieran O’Donnell TD for Limerick City Constituency (@kodonnellLK) February 10, 2021

I am delighted that Min Ryan has given the go ahead for the completion of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road in its entirety. The campaign to get the road built showed what great community spirit exists in Moyross. I want to congratulate everybody who played their part 1/3

— Willie O'Dea (@willieodeaLIVE) February 10, 2021

More to follow.....