*Blake’s Corner.
ANOTHER judicial review for Blake’s Corner is at risk of being lodged next month, the Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District has warned.
“We don’t know what is going on in Ennistymon or at Blake’s Corner,” Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) stated this week amid ongoing frustrations at securing information on a scheme designed to alleviate congestion at the notorious blackspot.
Last month, the High Court dismissed an application to bring a judicial review challenge against the proposed compulsory purchase order for the Ennistymon inner relief road.
As reported by The Clare Echo at the time, this did not necessarily mean a green-light for the scheme to proceed. The scheme includes the construction of a new bridge upstream of the Michael Conway Bridge, pedestrianisation of the existing bridge, and public realm improvements.
Although he issued a public statement at the time describing the High Court decision as “a major step forward,” Cllr Slattery has since rowed back on his optimism surrounding the project.
In a proposal before Tuesday’s meeting of the West Clare MD, he cited the decision when requesting the Council executive to liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and other agencies “as a matter of urgency as to the next stages of the project”.
Such stages include the conclusion of land acquisition, design and construction of the new bridge. He also asked that councillors “be informed and included on every report on the project and schedule of works going forward” with a monthly update “on the legal position in respect of the judicial Review for Blake’s Corner”.
Senior engineer in the capital infrastructure delivery section of the Council, Morgan Lahiffe said the High Court decision “clears the way for the N67/N85 Inner Relief Road project at Blake’s Corner to proceed. The Council will continue working closely with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and other relevant bodies to advance the next stages of the scheme as a priority”.
Lahiffe outlined that the upcoming phases include the completion of property and land acquisition under the CPO which was approved in June 2022, progression of detailed design work in anticipation of construction stage. “This project aims to improve traffic flow and safety while preserving the historic character of Ennistymon. The existing seven-arch bridge will be retained for pedestrian and public realm use, with enhancements to landscaping, lighting, and accessibility. The Council will ensure that members of the West Clare Municipal District receive regular updates on progress, including reports and indicative timelines as they become available. While a confirmed construction start date is not yet set, advancing the scheme remains a priority”.
Speaking this week, Cllr Slattery commented, “My understanding is that this CPO is not over and an appeal is pending from third party”. He said had the Director of Service, Carmel Kirby been in attendance for their meeting she would “probably have said it was commercially sensitive if she was here”.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Slattery questioned, “is the matter of price for the property or the principle of keeping the family home” the reasons for a potential further delay. “Have negotiations taken place on pricing or is that it is not for sale, we don’t know what is going on in Ennistymon and Blake’s Corner in the judicial review, we don’t want this going on for another two years, I believe another judicial review is happening in December but we don’t know”.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) reminded colleagues he raised the matter at the November meeting of the Council, “I was assured we’d have an update, in fairness to other officials around the table, a lot of responses come to the meeting from officials that aren’t present so they can’t go further than what is in writing”. He continued, “it is not satisfactory that we are trying to get people to fish out what is happening in the High Court to try see where something is at, it is beyond time that we have a factual position”. He said, “Is there another hurdle in the way, we can’t be celebrating a green light if it is not the true position”.
Eoin Troy, senior executive officer in the West Clare MD said questions on project management have been answered in the reply. “From a legal perspective I don’t know because it is legally privileged information and it wouldn’t be spoken about, we can’t be seen to guess what a third party is going to do, it is not up to us to decide what someone else will do”.
Cllr Talty questioned if objections have been raised by a third party to which Troy replied, “I’m unaware” and Talty added, “I’m unaware too”. Cllr Slattery asked if remediation was taking place and the SEO said he would take the question to “the powers that be”.
