Tipperary town bypass
Deputy McGrath urges that the Tipperary town bypass be made the first priority in the N24 review because of congestion and freight traffic. Deputy Ryan agrees it should be prioritised and says it has not been ruled out in the current options process.
I want to thank the Minister in the first instance for his engagement with people from Tipperary County Council, Jobs4Tipp, March4Tipp and Tipperary Town Chamber of Commerce. Will he ensure, as part of the review of the national development plan, that the first priority is a bypass for Tipperary town? I know he is clear on that and he is leaning towards bypasses. If it is part of the N24 project, all the better, but the bypass of the town must be done. It is being choked, especially since Brexit, with the huge increase in heavy freight traffic from the west to the east. I plead with the Minister again, at this vital time, to give priority to this. The community groups in Tipperary are made up of wonderful people, who were forced onto the streets as part of the March4Tipp campaign two years ago. They will go onto the streets again if they have to but they would rather work with the Minister. Ní neart go cur le chéile. That is the way they want to work. They are good, dedicated and ingenious people but they cannot survive any longer unless the heavy trucks are taken out of their town. They are suffering from the smog and, above all, the congestion.
Comment on this
People must be allowed to trade and the town must be allowed to thrive. We are depending on the Minister.
Comment on this
We have had extensive discussions on this issue in a range of forums. I agree with the Deputy that the bypass of Tipperary town is exactly the sort of project that should be prioritised. I am encouraged that in the recent public consultation looking at the broader options for the upgrade of the N24 route, as I understand it, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, listened to the views expressed and did not rule out an immediate prioritisation of the bypass of Tipperary town as an example of what could be done. The N24 road can link into that as it is further upgraded.
The example given concerned the similar approaches taken in Cashel and Cahir, which worked very effectively. Therefore, I agree with the Deputy. Tipperary is an example of a beautiful and stunning Irish market town. We must bring life back to the centres of such towns. We must keep heavy goods vehicles out of them and bring back shopping and people to live in the centres of those towns. Tipperary town will thrive on the back of such developments.