O’Connell lands bypass art role
CLLR Oisin O’Connell has been appointed to a committee to choose the Per Cent for Art public artwork which will feature on a stretch of the New Ross ring road.
District Manager Sinead Casey said Wexford Arts Officer Liz Burns is overseeing the commission for art works on the N11 and the N25.
Two sites have been preferred, Stokestown and Ballymacar Junction and one will be chosen.
There have been ten expressions of interest for the commission from international and Irish artists and six have been shortlisted to develop detailed proposals.
Ms Casey said: ‘ The site needs to be chosen and a specific panel has been set up to chose that site and move forward with commissioning the piece.’
Cllr Larry O’Brien proposed Cllr O’Brien, whose nomination was seconded.
‘If we don’t like it we can blame Oisin,’ Cllr Michael Whelan joked.
‘Especially if it’s Stokestown,’ Cllr O’Brien added. CATHAOIRLEACH Cllr Willie Fitzharris asked if there are plans to improve traffic flow at the Irishtown junction.
District Director Eamonn Hore said: ‘ The whole sequence is being looked at. A traffic detection cable is going to be laid 50m from each of the four legs of the junction and a new controller box will measure how much traffic is in each lane so delays should be minimised.’
Cllr Michael Sheehan asked if trees which were removed from Irishtown are going to be replaced. He also called for the footpaths in the Irishtown to be repaired saying several accidents have occurred through trips on them. Mr Dunne said there is only money to patch up particularly bad sections of the paths. Cllr Fitzharris said the parking section also needs to be looked at as ‘it’s a free for all there especially around the lights’.
District Manager Sinead Casey said: ‘It’s being looked at.’
Cllr Fitzharris said the grass could be removed from the roadside and used for more parking spaces. Mr Dunne said the old trees had to be pruned annually so they are being replaced with mature trees. He said it would cost around €500,000 to repair the paths so patching work will be done instead. Cllr Fitzharris said:’ It has ben left in limbo. Can funding be applied for?’