A local Sinn Fein councillor says Minister Eamon Ryan’s decision to “pull the plug” on the N17 road project “was not a great surprise.”
Last week, Minister Ryan announced that funding would not be available for some time for the route that planned to link Collooney in Sligo to Ireland West Airport in Knock.
The project was first motioned in 2005, and following a public consultation land was purchased to begin.
Once the recession hit Ireland, the project ceased, before the project would relaunch this year.
Public consultations continued over the last number of months, and the Minister has since delt a terrible blow to the plans.
Councillor Gerry Murray says the project, the second time round, had a very ominous look about it.
He said the fact that the North West was not included in Ireland’s T10 EU funding applications put the project at a disadvantage.
Furthermore, the final route that was selected for the project only had about 50% of the initial route – tapering off at Charlestown from Collooney instead of going further up the road towards Ireland West Airport.
Councillor Murray says the news does not come as a “great surprise” as there is “no great push for infrastructure west of the Shannon.”
He has been giving more information to Midwest Radio’s Rian Bailey:
