Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When the plan for the N6 Galway ring road was first published in 2016, it was proposed that 54 houses be demolished or bought out to facilitate the project if it got the go-ahead. For the past seven and half years, 54 families have been prisoners in their homes. They cannot sell their properties because who would buy a house where there is a proposal to demolish it? There is little point in spending money on improvements. The families were told to sit and wait for seven and a half years. Over the past few years, I have met many of these families who wanted to downsize but could not sell their homes.

Any new planning laws that are brought forward to fast-track major infrastructure projects must take into account family homes due to be demolished. People cannot be left in limbo for years on end. If new planning laws are brought forward, will they include provisions to ensure that homeowners directly affected by any major infrastructural projects will not be prisoners in their houses for years while such projects go through the planning process?

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