Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to echo the sentiments of many speakers on the issue of speed limits in housing estates. It is an issue which has arisen through the years. In my time as a member of Limerick city and county council, we considered rolling out programmes in council housing estates, but the issue broadened over the course of the boom to private estates. It is a major problem.

I want to highlight an issue in my area where, because of what is going on, there may be no people. I refer to Croagh in County Limerick. The Foynes-Limerick motorway, which is welcome, is being built and will bypass the town. For some reason TII, in conjunction with Limerick city and county council, is bypassing the town rather than building a spur road to the village. It will sound the death knell for the village. We have had public meetings and have received submissions, but that has fallen on deaf ears. The village has a state-of-the-art school of music, a garden centre, shops, pubs, school and a substantial nursing home.

Money has been allocated for the Foynes-Limerick motorway route. I have heard reports that the cost of building a spur road to Croagh would be too great. However, in the initial documents Croagh was left out and the scheme included Askeaton, Rathkeale and Adare, which were to be junctions on the new route corridor. On behalf of the people of Croagh and the surrounding area, I want to take this opportunity to speak to the TII. I never seem to get the chance to speak to it directly, even as a councillor. This may be a parish pump matter, but it is the system. I cannot speak to representatives of TII. We are looking for a spear spur road for Croagh. It is required.

A short-sighted approach to the southern ring-road in Limerick was taken a number of years ago, where in Ballysimon an intersection, which was not a spaghetti junction, was built and millions of euro had to be spent afterwards to install traffic lights. The junction has been a mishmash since. Some forward thinking is needed. I am taking this opportunity to speak on behalf of the people of Croagh. A spur road should be built and it should not be bypassed and left behind. It is a registered village and it should remain so.

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