Sarah berates lack of council support

Any benefit brought to rural towns by the opening of bypass roads is being undermined by the failure of local authorities to reinvest money to make them attractive places to shop.

Galway businesswoman Sarah Harty, who made the claim, is the owner of a cafe restaurant in Gort. She said many businesses in the town were under threat due to the lack of support for local traders from Galway Co Council.

Like other entrepreneurs in Gort, Ms Harty said she welcomed the opening of the town’s bypass two years ago, which removed major traffic jams, caused by thousands of vehicles travelling on the main Ennis-Galway road, which regularly clogged its streets.