Gas pipeline work is ‘progressing well’

GAS NETWORKS SAY THEY WILL STOP LISTOWEL WORK FOR WRITERS’ WEEK

IT will be June before Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) completes pipeline-installation works in Listowel in the second phase of a major project seeing the gas grid extended into Kerry for the first time.

It had been hoped earlier in the year that the second phase of the project – the installation of feeder pipes from the main gas line – would have been completed in time for Listowel Writers’ Week, which gets underway at the end of this month.

However, GNI said it will suspend its works for the duration of what is the first big festival of the year in North Kerry.

It’s all part of a €20 million project undertaken to provide a gas line to the Kerry Ingredients plant in Listowel. The secondary benefit will be to the people, schools and businesses of Listowel shortly in a position to connect to the grid.

GNI said this week that work on phase two of the project is ‘progressing well’. Gas lines along several roads leading into the centre of town have now been completed with works cur- rently focusing on the Square. Once the gas company is finished in the Square, workers will move onto ‘critical’ area of works on Church St, to lay pipeline between the Emmets grounds and ‘Main St’ - understood to be the upper part of Church St. A second crew will meanwhile complete John B Keane Road, Charles Street and Corbert Street. The remaining streets of Market St, Tae Lane, O’Connell Avenue, Feale Drive and the Ballybunion Road will be finished in June. Construction Project Manager Eddie Sweeney said: “We will, as promised, cease works in the town centre for the duration of Writers’ Week, to alleviate as much disruption as possible. Our current schedule indicates we will need to return to the town centre immediately following Writers’ Week, to complete the final stages of works.”