Millions of Euro in taxpayers money will be wasted unless the Transport Minister decides to continue funding the upgrade of the N24 between Cahir and Waterford.
That’s the view of local Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn who says its vital that the progress made in recent years on that section of the planned upgrade of the main thoroughfare between Limerick and Waterford is not lose
Senator Ahearn says the next few weeks will be critical pointing out that the project has stalled on previous occasions in 2002 and 2012 at significant cost to the taxpayer.
“So essentially what that means is the company that are involved in getting it up to planning and through planning are going to be finishing in the next couple of weeks because they’ve no funding to continue the process.
“We have spent as a government €5 million over the last six years on this doing up reports getting it to the point where we are now to almost having it to planning stage. There’s just over €2 million that’s needed for this year to continue that and getting it through planning. All €5 million of taxpayers money is wasted if we don’t continue it.”
Householders and landowners along that stretch of the N24 are being left in limbo.
Those along the 300 metre wide corridor currently being considered cannot secure planning permission for works on their property until the final route selection is decided.
However Senator Ahearn says this will not change unless the €2 million required to progress to planning.
“For example if you had a son or daughter that wanted to build beside the family home but they’re within that buffer zone they can’t build. But if we get it through planning over the next year or year and a half – once the planning is done and the road has been agreed and designed and they’re outside the buffer zone – then they can build.
“But what happens now is the worst case scenario. We have put them in a buffer zone of a road that we haven’t committed to continuing to design and planning and to construct. No one wins in that scenario.”
