Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thurles town suffers from severe traffic congestion. We have been promised a bypass for a generation or more. Ten years ago three routes for a bypass were proposed and one was selected. We have heard nothing about the bypass since. The general view is that we will not see a bypass of the town in my lifetime.

However, there has been some talk of work on an inner relief road proceeding. While it would not answer all of our problems, it would be a significant move forward. In January this year, the county council issued a statement saying that this scheme is important to the economic viability of Thurles and would support the social, recreational and business travel needs of the town and district. Transferring town centre traffic to a purpose-built link road would also have safety benefits, particularly for pedestrians. The project provides for a second bridge crossing over the river Suir within the town environs. A second bridge crossing in town is key. We are lucky in that we have four superb second level schools in our town, all of which are well attended. During the academic year, the traffic flow in the town is deplorable. Between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., traffic jams are such that it could take an hour to get from one end of the town to the other.

Other towns in our county have been lucky enough to have bypasses. Our town and Tipperary town are the two towns that are suffering from traffic congestion. This link road got a mention in the famous Project Ireland 2040. When will money will be put in place, when exactly will this work commence and when can we hope to see this link road?

Plans are in place for Liberty Square in the centre of the town. Those plans are ongoing at the moment. Additional car parking will be provided. Retail activity in the town has suffered greatly from the traffic congestion. This redevelopment of Liberty Square, which is the centre of Thurles town, is still dependent on the river crossing. Traffic flow will worsen following the redevelopment of the square. Members should not get me wrong. I am not opposed to the redevelopment, because the businesses in Liberty Square have to be given a lifeline. Something had to be done, because the centre of our town was dying.

It is essential that the inner relief road is put in place as quickly as possible. I would greatly appreciate a timeline for when the required money will be put in place. In January this year the local authority put down figures for what the inner relief road would cost. In overall Exchequer terms the cost would not be huge as it would be a short inner relief road. As I said, it would not solve all of the difficulties in our town. We had an inner relief road a couple of years ago and it greatly helped the western side of the town. We hope this relief road will do the same, but it is essential. In the 2014 plan we were told that after 2021 discussions would begin on whether this road could proceed. We cannot wait that long. The town is choking with the congestion and we need the road now.

See this speech in context