Galway TDs told to get off Facebook and sort out bridge problems

Galway’s Cllr Jimmy McClearn said a deputation of local councillors was seeking a meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to demand action.

“Some members of the Oireactas are putting stuff on Facebook about [Healthlawn] but who’s that appealing to? I would call on them to deal with the problem rather than look for publicity,” he said.

Cllr Declan Kelly agreed with Cllr McClearn’s demand for action and said issues were starting to arise on the lane that remained open to traffic.

“The one lane of that road that is now open is starting to sink and sag, as you’d expect because it’s in a bog.

“TII are acting like the Court of St James – ‘let them eat cake’ sort of stuff. And senators and TDs are making statements but I don’t sense any follow-through,” he said.

Senior Executive Engineer Gerard Haugh said that the TII had signalled on a number of occasions that works would be done to reopen both lanes to traffic this year.

“In their last update and the previous one, they indicated the works would be completed by the end of 2026. The timeline for design is quarter three, with construction to begin afterwards,” he said.

Mr Haugh said he understood the frustration of locals and councillors.

“After the last meeting, we made representations to the National Roads Project Office for interim works to secure the second lane reopened, but we didn’t get a reply,” he said.