Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Graham. I would appreciate that. It is something that needs to be addressed very quickly. A lot of misinformation is circulating. People want to know that the service will continue. Perhaps a logical way of applying the service in east Clare would be through Local Link. That is what is happening very successfully in west Clare.

My next number of questions are for Mr. Walsh of TII. I refer to the Limerick northern distributor road. It was not referred to in the presentation pack he circulated to Deputies yesterday. It is a critical project north of Limerick city to south-east Clare. Phase 1 runs from Coonagh to Knockalisheen and Meelick. It is not a very long road and would provide for enhanced pedestrian links and cycling ways. The project has stalled. My understanding is that it is currently on the desk of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and needs to move off that in terms of having a contractor carry out works on the ground. Some €58 million is the overall project cost and a lot of money has been spent to this point in terms of surveys and reports. Even the spur of the road has started at the Coonagh roundabout near Tesco. A lot has been done. For the project to go back to review stage at this point would only serve to perpetuate the uncertainty that landowners and homeowners in the area have encountered from many years.

Before Mr. Walsh responds, I should add that despite the problems phase 1 has faced heretofore it is anticipated in the region. Phase 2 is more disputed in that its route line dissects the village of Parteen in half, something I have huge reservations about. Another proportion of the road goes through floodplains in Cloonlara. As an overall project, it is good. The route line of phase 2 is not so good. Phase 1, which should have been completed last September, has stalled. Can Mr. Walsh tell us whether there are any other barriers or impediments preventing the project from proceeding? I ask him to update us on the status of the Killaloe bypass.