Shelving of Macroom Bypass throws spanner in the works

THE news that the promised Macroom Bypass has been delayed indefinitely is a serious blow to Kerry County Council as it launches its ambitious Economic and Community Development Plan.

Work on the €160 million bypass – which was listed as a ‘top tier’ project in the Government’s 2016 to 2021 Capital Plan announced last September – was originally due to get underway in the next two to three years.

However, last week it emerged that the project – which was cited by The Government as being vital to Kerry’s economic development – had been quietly shelved. No funding has been allocated to build the bypass and Transport Infrastructure Ireland have admitted that work on the bypass will not start until at least 2022.

This comes as a major blow to aspects of the new Kerry Economic Development plan.

The advancement of the Macroom and Adare bypass projects is listed as one the council’s primary goals in the infrastructure section of the new plan.

Construction of the Macroom Bypass is described as a “critical” aspect of plans to stimulate job growth and investment through the development of regional communication and transport infrastructure.

Clearly during the preparation of the plan – a process that began early last year – its authors were aware that any commitments to build the bypass were far from guaranteed and that the project was by no means certain to go ahead.

With that in mind the plan sees Kerry County Council commit to “engage in a broad and consistent lobbying campaign” to ensure funding is made available for such vital works.

Michael Scannell Director of Services, Mayor of Kerry Michael O’Shea , Brid McElligott Vice President IT Tralee , Moira Murrell CEO Kerry County Council and Kate Murphy of Southern Scientific Services pictured at the Wetlands Centre in Tralee at the...