I had the good pleasure of attending a meeting with the management of the new proposed motorway from Patrickswell to Blarney at the design office of the Cork county Council at Gould’s Hill Mallow on Tuesday the 25th August. The delegation that travelled from the Maigueside comprised of business and community residence of the area. We met with the senior engineer Mr Kevin Lehane, Matt Cummingham senior planner, Ciaran Hegerthy senior planner Limerick county Council and Derek Daley engineer. There was a broad discussion on the various issues and fears with regard to the draft proposal in the Croom district. There was grave concern with the exit and access links to the town of Croom where in the new draft proposal the existing link roads will not be retained. There was a discussion on secondary roads, walkways and the fear of losing bus transport services, city link because of the long journey to enter and exit the town.
The local press reported that Sean O'Neill, head of communications at the NRA said that the M20 had been "reprioritised" due to lower traffic volumes compared to other schemes also a waiting funding. A full confirmation that this report is true has not been received from the design office at Mallow. The design team at Mallow and Limerick are still working in their offices so hopefully this is only a wild political scare.
The M20 motorway would involve 80km of new motorway and it is envisaged that the construction at peak development would involve over 2000 workers. An impact study was to be carried out in the near future. Following the impact study statutory land acquisition would commence.
Steps included are:
Publication of CPO/Motorway Scheme
Publication of the environmental impact scheme
Objections or submissions to the CPO/Scheme, or EIS, to An Bord Pleanala
An Bord Pleanala may hold an Oral Hearing
If the CPO/Motorway Scheme is confirmed, a confirmation notice is published
A period is allowed to challenge the CPO/Motorway Scheme to the High Court
The CPO/Motorway Scheme is then confirmed.
Limerick County Council approves County Enterprise Project
Artists immpression of an Enterprise Centre
Limerick County Council has approved an investment of €1,050,000 (by means of subordinate loans) for the development of Community Enterprise Centres in Limerick at the last meeting of the Limerick county council on Monday 13th July. The amount for the proposed funding for Croom is €940,000 (Source of funding Enterprise Ireland €450,000, CEB €100,000, Co. Council €200,000, Own funds 50,000, Borrowings €140,000). Enterprise Ireland administrators a community led enterprise support programme - Community Enterprise Centre (CEC) Scheme 2007-2009. Limerick county council, working in close co-operation with Enterprise Ireland, FAS, the County Enterprise Board and the County Development board, in supporting applications made by community based companies to avail of funding under this initiative, is anxious to create new job opportunities for the people of County Limerick. Grant aid assistance has been approved by enterprise Ireland under this scheme for the development of five Enterprise Centres in Co. Limerick. One of these centres will be in Croom. A combination of inter agency support and local community involvement is key to the delivery of these projects, all of which are at various stages of planning. They are also supported by local entrepreneurs. These and other local entrepreneurs will play a key role in identifying potential tenants for the Enterprise Centres who may also benefit from ongoing support from State agencies such as Limerick County Enterprise Board, Enterprise Ireland or LEADER Groups. At the meeting of Limerick county council on Monday 13th councillor Patrick C. Fitzgerald welcomed the proposed Enterprise Developments in Co. Limerick and was delighted to see the town of Croom a beneficiary of this scheme. In his statement he said that having lost the creameries, post offices and local Garda stations in towns and villages it was great to see local government authorities such as Limerick County Council and the Limerick Enterprise Board initiating job creating Enterprises in our County towns. The construction of these centres should be completed by 2010. This centre in Croom should create jobs for the people of Croom. The long term benefits in both economic and social terms are very considerable and should justify the commitment in terms of money and effort from everyone involved.