WATCH: Minister urged to progress €58m Limerick road project

LIMERICK TD Kieran O'Donnell has urged Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to progress a planned multi-million euro road for the northside of the city.

He raised the matter of the €58m Coonagh to Knockalisheen distributor road, which would open up Moyross.

Despite the fact it has been in planning since 2007 and the advent of regeneration, no progress has been made on the project so far to date.

Mr O'Donnell said: "In 2007 the then government and the cabinet committee on social inclusion, as part of a regeneration project, produced a report which became known as the Fitzgerald report. One of its key recommendations was to consider improving accessibility into Moyross. The report specifically identified that the Coonagh-Knockalisheen distributor road should be progressed as a matter of urgency. The people of Moyross are still waiting 13 years later. As of this moment Limerick City and County Council has gone through the tender process and is about to award a contract, but the document is on the Minister's desk for approval. I have discussed this with the Minister at length over recent weeks. I feel we have committed to the project as a Government under the national development plan and the Fitzgerald report."

Mr O'Donnell pointed out that already €17m has hone into the project, including €9.47m on advance work projects, €3.7m on land acquisition and €2.7m on design.

"If one looks from Coonagh Cross over towards Moyross and at the back of Caherdavin, one will see the works. The physical works have already started on the road. Furthermore, €5m has already been allocated to the project this year which they have not been able to use. This is about improving access. A road from Coonagh to Knockalisheen would stand on its own merits and take Moyross away from being a cul-de-sac for social, economic and accessibility reasons."

In response to his request for an update, Mr Ryan said: "I join Deputy O'Donnell in committing absolutely to giving the very best transport system possible to the people of Moyross and, more widely, the people of Limerick. The improvement and maintenance of local and regional roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. State grants, where applicable, are intended to supplement the funding allocated to the maintenance and improvement of roads by local authorities from their own resources."

"The national development plan does provide for the gradual build up in funding for the road network but funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate maintenance and renewal of regional and local roads. For this reason the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the maintenance and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement schemes. In this context 12 regional and local road improvement schemes were identified for development, subject to necessary approvals, in the NDP, and the construction of the Coonagh-Knockalisheen distributor road is one of those schemes," the minister said.

He said he is considering the project, and plans to visit Limerick in the New Year to talk the route and engage with stakeholders.

Mr O'Donnell responded: "There is no issue with funding here. This is an issue of sign-off from the Minister to allow this road project to go ahead. He stated it is now getting to construction decision stage. If he walks the route, he will see construction has already taken place from Coonagh Cross to the back of the shopping centre and that major capital works have already taken place to raise the level of the road in the area so that the road can go ahead."

"Is the Minister suddenly going to allow Moyross to continue to be a cul-de-sac? One cannot drive into Moyross from the top end. For me, this project stands on its own merits. It is in the national development plan. It was committed to under the Fitzgerald report and by successive Governments. The Minister has been a member of some of those Governments. This project is about honouring our commitment and promise to the people of Moyross and the northside of the city. My view is that it is very simple. This project stands on its own. It has nothing to do with a proper rail network, which I fully accept is needed. In fact, this project will ensure that we can advance a proper rail network in the city and have a proper functioning train situation in Moyross, along with a park and ride system, to serve the people of Moyross but, equally, they should be able to access the top end of Moyross rather than it being a cul-de-sac. It is probably the biggest and longest cul-de-sac in Ireland and that is unacceptable. I hope the Minister commits today to look at the issue and agree to sign off on it and allow the project to proceed. It is not about funding; it is about approval from the Minister."