PLANS FOR REMOVAL OF CITY KIRWAN ROUNDABOUT HALTED BY CLLRS

Date Published: 13-Nov-2012

City Councillors have voted unanimously to reject a variation to the development plan which would see the provision of a four leg signalised junction to replace the Kirwan roundabout near the Menlo Park Hotel.

The matter came before councillors last evening [Nov 12] as part of the city’s Bothar na dTreabh N6 Multi Modal Corridor Improvement Scheme.

This has already seen the changeover of roundabouts at Briarhill, the Tuam Road and Ballybane.

The variation would have seen the diversion of a road from the Menlo Park Hotel grounds through to the Headford road.

City Councillors had voted 9 to 6 in favour of removing the Kirwan roundabout in May.

However, after heated debate on the variation last evening and repeated warnings from City Mayor Terry O' Flaherty to members to “Stop the screaming”, Cllrs voted unanimously to reject the plan.

An amendment tabled by Cllr Billy Cameron to call on officials to explore other options and not to engage in a “do nothing” approach while calling on the NRA not to withdraw the funding for the project was also carried.

However Director of Services Ciaran Hayes said the window of opportunity for funding from the NRA was over two years and after that, the funding is gone.

He said although the proposal was not finding local acceptance, he stands over the recommendation and added that other suggestions for a five-arm model have been looked at but simply would not suit.