FF TD blames Greens for ring road rout
A FIANNA Fáil backbencher has blamed his party’s coalition partners the Green Party for holding up vital infrastructure following the successful challenge to the Galway Ring Road.
Deputy James O’Connor, Fianna Fáil’s Transport spokesman, has expressed alarm that transport infrastructure development in Ireland could be derailed following the successful challenge against the Galway Ring Road.
In a statement to the Irish Mail on Sunday, the TD appointed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin to represent the party’s transport policy said: ‘The Climate Action Plan is now being used as battering ram investment in road infrastructure.
‘The Green Party cannot be allowed to get away with this.’
This stance by Mr O’Connor, 25, a first-time TD who confounded predictions by securing a seat in the last general election in Cork East, will heighten tensions within the Government as Green Party leader Eamon Ryan is Transport Minister.
The Galway Ring Road was a highly contested project in a city where traffic congestion is a highprofile issue. An Bord Pleanála has conceded a High Court case against the proposed €600m ring road, in a move that will scrap permission for an 18km project supposed to ease chronic traffic congestion in the city. Mr O’Connor said: ‘The outcome of the case has now set a dangerous precedent to encourage further court challenges against key infrastructure projects. It marks a further corrosion of the public’s confidence in An Bord Pleanála. It has become a black hole of delay and red tape.
‘Ireland is witnessing a transition from bureaucratic red tape to green tape and government must urgently intervene to prevent further corrosion of public confidence.’