Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

First, I wish to put on record that Fine Gael is supportive of the Galway city outer bypass road project and has no objection to the passage of this rushed legislation this evening, which is relevant to that project. However, I both firmly believe and predict that at the end of 18 months, it will not make any difference because I do not expect any work to be done on this road. Why is this Bill being introduced at the last minute, when it has been known for the past 18 months that the CPO would expire within 18 months? Now, within four hours of the deadline for extending the time, Members are rushing a Bill through the Dáil. I believe this is being done as a face-saving measure for Deputy Fahey, who, like myself, is a strong supporter of the Galway city outer bypass road.

When the list of suspended projects appeared in yesterday's newspapers, it was stated that the NRA was abandoning this project. This Bill really acts as camouflage to pretend there will be a further 18 months in which to decide on the project. That period will probably extend beyond the next election, after which it will be up to the new Government as to whether it will be able to fund the proposed road.

The proposed Galway city outer bypass has been an ongoing project for the past 12 years, which encompasses the full lifetime of Fianna Fáil's participation in government. The most favourable route for the road was established nine years ago in 2001, at least three years before any part of that corridor was designated as a national heritage area. The designation is now being used as an excuse for stalling the building of the bypass road for the past ten years. There is no will on the part of the Government, especially the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, whom I am surprised is absent, to have the road built. In fact, at all times the Green Party has opposed the building of the road. Before the current Green Party Senator from Galway, former councillor, Senator Ó Brolcháin, lost his seat on the city council he used his position as mayor to object to the bypass on mayoral notepaper to An Bord Pleanála. Despite the objection of the Green Party, An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the first phase of the road from Doughiska to Bushy Park on the N59 Moycullen road. The decision was appealed to the High Court by the objectors to the road. In October 2009 the High Court decision ruled in favour of An Bord Pleanála overruling the objection to the road.

The Minister, Deputy Gormley, stated in reply to a parliamentary question from Deputy Hogan on 21 January 2010 that: "Following the High Court ruling, the State [no less] and Mr. Sweetman separately sought leave to appeal the judgment to the Supreme Court. Leave to appeal was granted on 6 November 2009." The Supreme Court then referred the matter to the European Court of Justice and as the seanchaí said, things rested so. The Mr. Sweetman referred to by the Minister was a former candidate for the Green Party in an election. That begs the question of whether the Minister is now or ever was in favour of the road being built. The suffering business people in Galway and Connemara and the frustrated motorists believe he is not in favour of the road. If further proof were needed, the Government has now suspended the project. It was listed as No. 4, N6 Galway outer bypass, on roads projects suspended by the NRA according to yesterday's Irish Independent. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, said the NRA considers the road a high priority but it does not look like a high priority to me.

Given that the decision of An Bord Pleanála only sanctioned the outer bypass as far as the Moycullen Road at Bushy Park suggests that only slightly more than half of the scheme had been approved. With the estimated cost of completing half of the work at approximately €450 million I seriously question whether there is any commitment from the Government, or from one section of it at any rate, to ever proceed with the project, especially in view of the current financial situation where we are in debt to the tune of untold billions.

The decision of An Bord Pleanála to only allow half a bypass to be carried out renders it very unlikely that any work will be done on this road or that the necessary funds will be provided in the current climate for work for this road. The reasons given by An Bord Pleanála for not sanctioning the second part of the road from the Moycullen road to the Spiddal road was the possibility of endangering bog cotton and because part of the area was designated as a natural heritage area. The route was established as the most favourable route in 2001, at least three years before the area was designated as a natural heritage area. It seems very strange to me that that would be the case now. The decision would not allow the road to bypass the Galway to Moycullen road and would have a serious effect on other proposed road projects in the south Connemara area, namely, the proposed road to Rossaveal and the Barna relief road. It now seems unlikely that those proposed roads will proceed following the decision.

It is impossible to build half a bypass route in any case and to have it end, as is currently the case, on the N59. Up to €20 million has already been spent on planning the road and carrying out environmental tests yet not a sod has been dug on the road yet. It is most unlikely that a sod will be turned on the road in the next 18 months. Whether the High Court or the next Government decide to proceed with the road it is a doubtful project. We are only engaging in shadow boxing in having the CPOs extended. It is only a matter of saving face so that certain people in a Government party can claim the project is not dead and that it is really still alive when it is not alive at all. Everyone in Galway knows that at this stage.

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