Emergency exercise to test €600m tunnel

PLANS are being finalised in Limerick for the biggest simulated emergency exercise every carried out in this country.

Hundreds of firefighters, gardaí, ambulance and medical personnel will take part in a planned accident in the new €660 million tunnel under the Shannon, which is now nearing completion.

The tunnel, which was due to open in September, is now likely to open by June, allowing up to 16,000 cars a day to by-pass Limerick city when travelling on the western corridor, linking Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and the West.