Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This matter has a long and sad history. I was on the bridge the night of the flood in 2015. It closed because of danger. The bridge was repaired. There have been numerous consultants’ reports dealing with fishing, every kind of aesthetics and architecture. I was under that bridge. It is repaired. There is no understanding of why it has been left as a one-way arrangement for this length of time. Obviously, the director of services, Mr. Marcus O’Connor, wanted to make it a one-way system permanently. The people of Ardfinnan, through the community council - I salute Ms Margaret Egan, the secretary; Councillor Anglim, the chairman; and the previous officers as well - submitted massive numbers of submissions to An Bord Pleanála. Submissions were also made by people from Clogheen, Araglin, Ballyporeen, Grange and everywhere. An Bord Pleanála, in its wisdom, decided that it should not be a one-way system and that there should be two-way traffic. The council has been obstinate and stubborn, however, and has refused to accept what An Bord Pleanála wants. We then did another independent review. Consultants were hired. More money was spent on those. They came up with the option of a stand-alone bridge. That was submitted to the NTA on the encouragement of the Taoiseach. The NTA’s decision and what happened is bewildering. I lay the blame with the county council.

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