The more than 50 homeowners, whose homes are set to be demolished to make way for the Galway City Ring Road, “deserve certainty and clarity” and must not be left in limbo about their future, especially if there are further legal challenges to the controversial road.
This is the view of Independent Galway West TD, Noel Gealish, who is calling on the Government to enact a plan to buy the houses without delay, if An Bord Pleanála gives the project the go-ahead and regardless of any legal or judicial challenges that might be taken.
Dep Grealish was speaking in the Dáil this week, and who pointed out that the impact of the current proposed road on “families, businesses and farmers” is “significantly greater” than the original route, first proposed in 1999.
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“It will involve the demolition of 44 family homes, with 10 more to be acquired,” said Dep Grealish. “A number of industrial and commercial properties are to be either acquired or demolished. More than 320 non-agricultural properties will also be subject to partial land acquisitions, including parts of gardens and driveways, but mostly roadside strips outside boundary walls. There will be 219 hectares of farmland from 195 land parcels to be acquired."
“We will be doing everything we can to assist those householders who are being caught" - Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan
Dep Grealish said homeowners who are to lose their houses must have their properties bought immediately once a decision to go ahead with the ring road was delivered by An Bord Pleanála. ABP is expected to make a decision in June. It was originally to have decided on the matter in April.
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“They have been unable to sell their houses or downscale and unable to build or buy a new one,” he said. “They don’t want to spend any significant money renovating or refurbishing because they don’t know how long they will be living there. They could be stuck in this limbo for years, just as the eight homeowners on the original route were before it was finally abandoned, 14 years after it was originally proposed.”
The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, agreed that everything should be done to assist the 54 homeowners on the route of the proposed road, whose houses are to be demolished or bought out. He said the Galway County Council had already set up an advance negotiation strategy in relation to the road and all affected householders were invited to participate.
“We will be doing everything we can,” said the Minister, “to assist those householders who are being caught.”
