Eamon Ryan says Carrick-on-Shannon bypass should be prioritised

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan says a bypass for Carrick-on-Shannon should be prioritised.

The Green Party leader made the comments in Dáil Eireann last week when answering Deputy Frank Feighan's query for an update on the proposed N4 upgrade and bypass works for Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim.

Minister Ryan outlined that, "Following the completion of the route selection, the design and environmental evaluation phase will develop the project design further to allow for progression through the necessary statutory processes."

He went on to say, "I have been saying clearly that we should prioritise bypasses on the roads programme such that we will support our town centre first policy of compact development, and projects such as that in Carrick-on-Shannon tick that box. It would be transformative for the town, bringing life and housing back into the centre. We need to prioritise that sort of project in the roads programme."

He also said, "In towns such as Carrick-on-Shannon, there is a fundamental choice. These are incredible 19th century market towns, or older in many instances, and restoring them and bringing life back into their centres would be one way of tackling our housing crisis as well as helping us to meet our environmental targets. The best way of doing that will involve removing as much traffic as possible in order that life can be brought back in. The towns that do that, whether Carrick-on-Shannon or elsewhere, will thrive."