Eamon Ryan under fire over 'illogical' decision to axe key Limerick road plan

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil TDs unite in criticism of minister who chose 'active travel and public transport' over proposed Limerick Northern Distributor Road

Eamon Ryan: Backbench TDs were united in their criticism of the minister. Picture: Oliver Contreras/PA

Fine Gael TDs have joined with Fianna Fáil colleagues in demanding Green Party leader Eamon Ryan reverse his “illogical” decision to axe a major Limerick road project.

During sharp exchanges in the Dáil, the TDs called on Mr Ryan to abandon his “solo run” and reinstate the road project, which has been in development for 20 years.

Mr Ryan has confirmed in the Dáil that it was on foot of his ministerial order that the proposed Limerick Northern Distributor Road (LNDR) had been halted, to the fury of backbench TDs.

In the Dáil on Thursday, under questioning from Kieran O’Donnell, Fine Gael TD for Limerick, Mr Ryan confirmed that he did remove the project from the regional strategy.

Mr O’Donnell said the National Transport Authority was before the transport committee a short time ago, stating that it would be in the new revised draft.

“However, they have now told us that it's not in the revised draft because of a direct intervention from you, as minister for transport, writing to the NTA and directing them to not include it. Is that correct?” he asked.

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Mr O'Donnell said phase two was “hugely important” for the region.

“Phase one is proceeding, thankfully, we had that debate, so why are you intervening here, minister?” he asked.

“And even in the National Development Plan, it states that local authorities can bring forward important road infrastructure projects to deal with particular safety and access issues. That's what this phase two project is doing, so what are you doing?”

His Clare colleague, Joe Carey, was even more strident in his criticism.

He said: “Do you realise that Clare County Council is firmly behind this proposal? Do you realise that the Limerick Chamber of Commerce is behind it, all the chambers of commerce in Clare are behind this proposal?

“Do you realise that industrialists who provide thousands of jobs in Limerick support this road? 

Do you realise that this has been in the planning process for nearly 20 years?

"And because of your intervention, it has been removed. It's illogical."

He called on Mr Ryan to reconsider the decision.

“I'm asking you to go away from the solo run and come back and re-evaluate what you've done. Put it back in that programme, it makes sense to do so,” he said.

Defending the controversial decision to stop the road, Mr Ryan was adamant that phase two would not happen and the rejuvenation, growth, and economic development of Limerick “will be met through the prioritised delivery of active travel and public transport infrastructure, rather than through road-based development”.

He said he is very open and public in giving the reasons why he believes the strategic development of Limerick is in the existing county and at the centre of the city. 

There's real risk to Limerick if Limerick alternatively spreads into Clare on a roads-based model.

It is important through the national planning framework to develop compact development and sustainable transport modes, Mr Ryan added.

The Irish Examiner revealed on Monday that the Taoiseach Micheál Martin gave a commitment to his own TDs last week to intervene in the standoff between them and Mr Ryan over the project.