ANGER OVER NEW MOTORWAY IS UNDERSTANDABLE

Fine Gael’s Dr. Liam Twomey has said that he is not surprised about how fearful and angry people are with the proposed N11/N25 Oylegate to Enniscorthy motorway. “People are fearful because some of the routes are near schools and will divide farms and communities. However no decision has been made yet so communities getting together and making their voice heard is very important in the public consultation process.”
“Looking at the figures for the past ten years, during the Celtic Tiger, expenditure on road improvements and maintenance in County Wexford was 210 million. Now when the government has no money and there are plans to cut capital expenditure, we are expected to believe that over 1 billion euros will be spent in the next five years on the New Ross and Enniscorthy bypasses as well as projects on the N11 just north of County Wexford in Wicklow and the N11/N25 project. I am sceptical that this project will go ahead because I was told in 2003 that the Rosslare Harbour Access route would be completed by 2010. This would have cost only 30 million and it has still not been built.”
“We need to be realistic about this proposed motorway. If in the past decade, the NRA did not have the 30 million for the Harbour access route and only spent a total of 210 million in county Wexford in a decade, what are the prospects of this government spending 1,200 million in County Wexford or just north of county Wexford at a time when this country does not have money to throw around. I am asking this question, not because I am against improving the infrastructure of county Wexford but I do not want the stress and concern that the people of Wexford affected by the final route chosen will feel, over what might turn out to be another big announcement that might never happen. The responsibility for telling the truth to the people of county Wexford lies not just with the NRA but also with our government representatives.”