Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport address the pressing public concerns about the routes proposed for the Galway outer city bypass? Six routes were proposed in the past few weeks. The process of route selection at a meeting of 500 people last Thursday night was deemed to be unsatisfactory. People's homes, their families and communities have been put under incredible pressure. The process of route selection has been deemed hasty, a point with which I agree.Everybody is in agreement that a solution is needed to Galway's traffic congestion problems. We understand that a solution to these problems will involve some level of disruption and perhaps some level of destruction. We would expect the planner to ensure the disruption would be kept to a minimum and the brief to the consultants Arup would be to ensure the minimum level of destruction of homes and communities.

We are faced with six routes which involve the destruction of between 50 to 120 homes. In one case it could involve the destruction of 20 homes, including three thatched cottages in the famine village of Menlo, a heritage village. At some future time that village could be a UNESCO protected village that would be important to Galway's bid for the European City of Culture. Four of the routes will involve the destruction of Galway racecourse, which dates from 1869. One of the routes involves the destruction of the recently opened Bushy Park national school - I attended the opening - and in particular the astroturf. A doctor was very concerned about the health implications of a major road such as this passing by a children's playground. One of the routes involves the destruction of the university playing pitches.

The process of route selection has been most unsatisfactory. People have heard about the proposals only in the past three weeks. They have until 27 February to submit their comments.

I have spoken to Arup and made the point that if there were a sufficient number of submission against all of the routes, would they start the process again. Arup said "No, not unless the lead client, that is Galway County Council and the city council pull us off.". I ask the Minister to take my proposal to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and to the Taoiseach that this process would be stopped until there is adequate consultation by Arup with the various communities involved. We are asking that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, would instruct Galway County Council as the lead client to instruct the NRA to request Arup to prepare a new transport solution in consultation with the residents and their communities.

There was cross-party support that all six proposed routes would fall at last Thursday's meeting. There was unanimity that the six routes were completely unacceptable as the decision was arrived at without meaningful consultation and involved a large level of destruction. However, there was no agreement on an exact solution, but I request that Arup be given a different brief, not just to consider roads,

Earlier another proposed route was turned down in the European Court that involved the destruction of eight homes. There is a big difference between the destruction of eight homes and up to 120 homes. In that case those people were frozen out for 15 years and could not sell their lands. We do not want to go back to that situation.

We have been told that the cost of the by-pass will be between €500 million and €750 million. Would that money be available if Arup were to get a different brief to come up with sustainable friendly traffic solutions, including light rail, bus transport as well as roads? The current proposals are too destructive. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.