*Cllr Shane Talty (FF). Photograph: John Mangan
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IRELAND (TII) have been accused of giving “a two finger salute” to North Clare and road users along the N85.
At Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) decried correspondence received from TII which cited “funding constraints” as the reason for failing to progress the N85 realignment project from Ennis to Inagh.
Chief Executive Officer with TII, Lorcan O’Connor in correspondence to the County Council stated, “A scheme was previously considered for this section of the N85 in 2015 and 2016. During the design development, it became apparent that there would be a very substantial quantity of surplus material to be dealt with at the construction phase. In an effort to progress a more sustainable scheme, having regard to the flooding and waste issues, a revised alignment and scheme extents needed to be considered.
“As a result of ongoing funding constraints, however, it has not been possible to progress a larger scheme on the N85, due to the limited funding available to TII generally and the many competing demands for such resources”.
Speaking on Monday, Cllr Talty remarked that the correspondence “is nothing short of a two finger salute to Clare on the N85 owing to ongoing funding constraints that it cannot progress”.
He said Oireachtas members must be called on to address the response and shortage of funding.
In December 2019, Director of Service with the Council, Carmel Kirby said consultants would be appointed “in early 2020” to upgrade a 3km section of road from west of Kilnamona Cross and an additional 1.5km to Whelan’s Quarry. No funding has been sanctioned for the scheme by TII in 2023, 2024 or 2025
