‘Road to nowhere’ cost €4m and has never seen traffic

A LOCAL authority has spent almost €4 million on a 450m “road to nowhere”.

The dead end road in Ennis, Co Clare has not been used by traffic since its completion over two years ago.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, Clare County Council confirmed a spend of €3.71m on the stretch of public road leading to an Information Age Park.

The cost works out at €825,974 per 100m.

However, no traffic has used the road since it was complete due to the loss-making Shannon Development’s failure to complete the remaining 200m of the route. The agency was the promoter of the park.

Figures also show €2.78m was spent on costs associated with the compulsory purchase order of the lands.

Three years ago, 69-year-old Barefield farmer and landowner of the site, Oliver Clune, was jailed after being found in contempt of a court order in relation to the CPO of 1.7 acres of land to enable the development.

The breakdown of the CPO costs does not state how much Mr Clune received for the land. The costs would also include legal fees and stamp duty.

The FoI details also reveal that the council spent €936,181 on costs connected with constructing the road:

- €481,735 on material and contract works

- €207,978 on machinery works

- €182,933 on payroll costs and

- €63,535 on miscellaneous costs.

Yesterday, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) said: “The agency [Shannon Development] needs to complete the road as a matter or urgency. This road has already caused upset where a farmer was forced to sell land he didn’t want to sell. The fact that no one has ever used the road only compounds the upset.”

Senator Martin Conway (FG) said yesterday: “This is monopoly money for a few hundred metres of road. It seems a scandalous waste of money and Shannon Development should state when they intend to complete the route and how long it long it will take.”

A Shannon Development spokeswoman said yesterday: “A date has not been fixed for completion of the roadway, but it is part of Shannon Development’s five-year development plan.”