Transport Minister does U-turn as Limerick road gets go-ahead

The long-awaited €58m Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road is seen as a means of opening up the Moyross estate

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan had initially failed to sign off on the final part of the plans for the €58m road, telling community groups in the area he wanted to explore other options, such as rail.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has today confirmed that the long-awaited €58m Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road in Limerick will go ahead.

The announcement follows recent controversy over delays and potential changes to the project, which angered many locals, who are largely in favour of the road being built.

The road project is seen as a means of opening up the Moyross estate, providing connectivity to local amenities in the northside of the city, and allowing access to a host of potential employment and education opportunities.

Mr Ryan had initially failed to sign off on the final part of the plans, telling community groups in the area that he wanted to explore other options, such as rail, which received a negative reaction from local community groups.

Speaking on the Limerick today show on Live 95 this morning, Mr Ryan said his department has agreed to sign off on the project without any major changes.

"The road project is going to go ahead, it will go ahead from Coonagh to the Knockalisheen junction and see an upgrade of Moyross Avenue and the Knockalisheen Road at the same time, so that’s the entire project,” the Green Party Leader said.

“My goal in taking the time to review this project, and engaging with local officials and the community, was to produce the best possible outcome for Limerick and Moyross. 

What we have now agreed with Limerick City and County council is that pedestrian access to the area will now be improved, including cycling and pedestrian routes that link LIT, Mary Immaculate College, UL, and Limerick City centre. 

"As part of the road scheme there will be designation of one lane of the new dual carriageway as a bus lane in each direction.

Mr Ryan said he understood that the local community had been frustrated by the delay. “Yes damage (has been done) in the short term, we absolutely understand that there was local community frustrations”, saying ‘oh god, we’ve been waiting for years’ and no one wants to delay that. But we were absolutely right, in my mind, to look at the whole picture. To think let’s get this really right.”

There has been a positive local reaction to the news, with a community group, Moyross Partners, releasing a statement on Twitter. “After hearing the heartfelt and educated pleas of a community and city, Moyross Partners are delighted to announce that agreement has been reached with Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, on the completion of the Coonagh-Knockalisheen Distributor Road. We welcome this, and thank the minister for his change of heart.” 

“It is important to remember, politicians are people, and they have (the) right to change their mind, to make mistakes, to grow, to be human,” the statement added.

We have no doubt that Minister Ryan’s intentions were good and that he had the communities best interests at heart. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Minister in his stoic efforts to raise awareness of Climate Justice.

— Moyross Partners (@buildourroad) February 10, 2021

News of the go-ahead comes as Green Party local election candidate Claire Keating resigned from the party. It is understood Ms Keating did not agree with the party’s original stance on the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road and handed in her letter of resignation on Tuesday.