Councillors voice frustration over lack of progress on distributor roads for Limerick towns

A REPORT on two key Limerick distributor roads has been deemed “totally unacceptable” by one public representative, who has alleged that information is being withheld from local councillors.

The allegation was made by Cllr Michael Collins at a sitting of the Newcastle West Municipal District, concerning an update which was received on Distributor Roads for Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale.

“Is this project being completely shelved and can I ask where the money is being spent?” Cllr Collins questioned, adding that “there is a far bigger picture than what we are being told.”

The Fianna Fáil man added that local landowners have spent significant money on the back of what councillors in the district are proposing.

He also referenced €50,000 that was allocated in 2018, towards a study documenting docking points on the distributor roads. “A total of €450,000 each was given to both towns last year,” Cllr Liam Galvin said.

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Cllr John Sheahan, based in Glin, told the meeting that suspicions around politics holding up the project had been totally dispelled, adding that the Green Party is in favour of the distributor roads going ahead.

“If it is an issue, just tell us,” Cllr Sheahan said to management staff present, including Gordon Daly, Director of Community, Tourism and Culture, with responsibility for the Newcastle West MD.

Cathaoirleach Liam Galvin acknowledged that both towns need to be bypassed but said if Newcastle West is to develop and progress, a distributor road is needed to access more lands around the town.

“I do hope that the distributor road isn’t shelved due to the bypass,” he said, adding that the road would open up a vast array of land for developmental zoning or rezoning.

Independent Cllr Jerome Scanlan described it as a “cart before the horse approach”, asserting that the distributor roads “must come first.”

The report prepared by Limerick City and County Council explains that existing Local Area Plans for both towns contain indicative distributor roads, included to open up zoned land for development.

“To date, these distributor roads have not progressed by developers,” it reads.

Cllr Collins described this statement as “inaccurate”, claiming that developers were stopped by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the state agency responsible for public road infrastructure.

Furthermore, he added, we should be getting that road shovel ready to attract those landowners and developers.

“Gordon, I know you can make this happen. We lost a distribution centre here for Lidl Ireland a few years ago, which went to North Cork after saying that there were unsuitable road structures here.

“We lost probably 300 jobs in Newcastle West and that shouldn’t happen again,” he concluded.

The motion ended in the decision to hold a special meeting this week on the two distributor roads.