Increased costs and further delays to the Galway City Outer Bypass project look like being avoided as changes to Compulsory Purchase Order regulations are set to be introduced.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway West TD Frank Fahey, who believes an upcoming amendment to Compulsory Purchase Order regulations will be “good news for the Galway City Outer Bypass campaign”.
The proposed amendment is likely to be introduced as part of the Planning and Development Amendment Bill.
Until now, regulations have stipulated that CPOs can only be extended for 18 months. The amendment being discussed in relation to the Planning and Development Amendment Bill provides for a further 18 month extension, and a possible further extension following an application from a local authority.
“It is now almost 18 months since the CPOs were issued for the Galway City Outer Bypass and it appeared that the process may have had to be embarked upon all over again,” said Dep Fahey, “meaning a significant cost and further delay for the project.”
The Bill has now gone through committee stage and it will now be discussed in the Dáil.
