FUTURE OF BOTH MAJOR N2 SCHEMES UNCERTAIN AFTER “DEVIL IN THE DETAIL” ON FUNDING EMERGES

PETER HUGHES

A cloud of uncertainty has descended on the future rate of progress of both the Clontibret to the Border and the Ardee to Castleblayney road upgrades on the N2. Both schemes were included in the national road allocations announced by Transport Infrastructure Ireland last month, but there was a furious reaction at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council – including threats to kick down the door of Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD if he refused a meeting – when what one councillor referred to as “the devil in the detail” of the funding emerged. €2.5 million allocated to the Clontibret to the Border development is conditional on Monaghan Co Council being successful in an application for funding to the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility.

The outcome of the application won’t be known until June, by which time a number of studies carried out in relation to the project might have to go back to the drawing board, Monday’s meeting was told. €600,000 provided for the Ardee to Castleblayney upgrade will only cover expenditure accrued on the project in the past year. Councillors were told that €1.2 million is needed for the programme of work expected to be carried out in 2023.

The elected Council membership agreed to seek a meeting with Minister Ryan and to call an urgent briefing for the county’s Oireachtas representatives in order to ensure that the meeting is secured. Councillors are also considering protest action at the gates of Leinster House. Regarding the Clontibret to the Border scheme, Acting Director of Transportation Services Gareth McMahon told Monday’s meeting that the Council had made an application for TEN-T grant funding to the EU for the planning and design of the project. When the Council received its national road allocations a few weeks ago there was an allocation of €2.5 million for the Clontibret…