Road undermined in storm still closed a month later

A cul de sac road at Rossbeigh which was seriously undermined during a cliff fall remains closed and is a matter of serious concern, a Kerry County Council meeting was told yesterday.

Finding alternative access and a long-term solution was “extremely challenging,” the meeting was told. More than a dozen houses are affected and some are only a few hundred metres from the cliff edge high over the sea overlooking Dingle Bay.

Among the options are coastal protection, an entirely new road linking with the upper road, or a bailey bridge. The council has brought in consultants and geotechnical experts also visited to advise.

Tomorrow, a delegation from Kerry County Council and locals is meeting OPW minister Simon Harris to outline the crisis facing residents. The collapse of the Cliff Road on September 13 was 400m on the Rossbeigh side of the nearest house, meaning that all residents were inconvenienced.

Residents turned down the offer of emergency accommodation, with all wishing to remain in their home at present, a report to the council outlined. A plan on getting access for emergency services such as ambulance and fire service was drawn up. The council was making transport available for fuel and other deliveries.

“Since the failure was identified Kerry County Council has been examining various options to restore access in the short term but this is proving extremely challenging, given the nature of the topography,” the report said.

The OPW and the Department of Transport which were the funding agencies involved in any new solution such as coastal erosion or road building were being kept informed.

And as well as an immediate solution, a coastal protection programme was needed, the council report said.