Work on N59 may jeopardise major upgrade later

Galway County Council is looking to carry out short term repairs to the N59 between Oughterard and Maam Cross – but with a warning that such measures could undermine long-term plans.

Local councillors expressed fears this week that limited repair work could mean that the major upgrading project on this section of the N59 would be totally scuppered.

The Director for Roads Services in Galway County Council, Liam Gavin, told a Connemara councillors meeting this week that there were serious concerns about the state of the road and that the plan for a major upgrade was stalled.

This is because the National Parks and Wildlife Service is not giving the go-ahead to the County Council’s work plans for the project.

The Council had believed, Mr Gavin said, that they would have been in a position to go ahead with the major upgrading plan between Oughterard and Maam Cross, at this stage.

Bord Pleanála gave development permission for the upgrade over two years ago, but a condition was attached that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) would first have to be in agreement with the work plan before the commencement of the project.

Environmental issues and the protection of the pearl mussel in the Owenriff River catchment are the sticking points.

Mr Gavin said that eight documents relating to various aspects of the work scheme had been sent by the County Council team to the National Parks and Wildlife Service; only two of them had been responded to so far – and there is no time limit on this process.

The report from Mr Gavin led to bitter criticism of the National Parks and Wildlife Service by Councillors.

Councillor Thomas Welby said that the quandary facing engineers as regards the section from Oughterard to Maam Cross was understandable.

However, he said “if we take the resurfacing option we are faced with having no proper road” in the long run.

Councillor Welby said the pressure from the NPWS was stifling in Connemara; the pearl mussel existed in a number of places – Kilkenny being one of them – and it seemed that developments required by the community could go on.   Councillor Séamus Walsh said the stand-off should be brought to Minister Heather Humphreys table.  He said he had experienced a lot of public disquiet about the hold-up and that it could come to people taking action such as blocking the road.

Connemara Municipal Authority Chairman, Noel Thomas, said it would be highly unfortunate if there were personality clashes getting in the way.

“I’m sure there are many mitigation measures outlined,” he said.

Councillor Tom Curran said it was strange that the National Parks and Wildlife Service could “hold up everything” and that “if was not the pearl mussel it would be something else”.

Councillor Joe Folan said that the situation was unbelievable with people in a wide area of Connemara being forced to travel on such a “terrible road” because of the impasse involving the NPWS.

Councillors Seán Ó Tuairisg, Thomas Healy and Eileen Mannion expressed strong disappointment about the hold-up on the N59 development and Councillor Niamh Byrne said that it appeared the short term work would have to be done. Director of Roads Services, Liam Gavin said that a plan would have to be formulated for the overlay work and that it could be early next year before the actual surfacing could begin.

In the meantime, every effort would be made to get over the hold-up that is stopping the major upgrade between Oughterard and Maam Cross.