Mattie McGrath on Ardfinnen Bridge: Demands new active-travel crossing

The reason why the NTA have removed that bridge from the 2023 list, particularly given previous commitments from the government on the Mount Hurton deed from the Taoiseach, the NTA received a lot of funding and to take out this application is beggar's belief. The bridge is now closed one way since 2015. You have seen it yourself, so I would be happy to hear your answer. Thanks, Deputy. As you know, I think the question may have been submitted prior to the public meeting last week, where we can now confirm that funding of €280,000 was being provided to Tipperary County Council to allow this particular project to proceed to the next stage of development, known as Phase 3 preliminary design. I know that you will welcome that decision and thank you and other local public representatives, Councillor Anglum, Deputy Cattle and others, as well as the local community generally for their keen interest in this project. I understand that the NTA formally communicated this decision last week. In developing the project further, the Council will obviously progress this through the process in terms of the overall preliminary design. As we all know, the village of Ardfinnen spans both sides of the River Shore. Ardfinnen Bridge previously consisted of a two-lane vehicle carriageway with no pedestrian facilities connecting either side of the village. In September 2015, it was converted into a one-lane stop-and-go shuttle system for vehicles operated by a temporary traffic light arrangement and a one-metre footway delineated by temporary barriers. The Ardfinnen Bridge project was originally set up as a minor footpath scheme in 2021, which would formalise the existing arrangement. However, that scheme was ultimately put on hold and the Council asked to undertake an options assessment report to identify and rank options, including a proposal to revert the existing bridge to two-way traffic and construct a new active travel bridge. The Council's report concluded a proposal to revert to a two-way traffic bridge and construct a new bridge as the preferred option. I am obviously pleased now that a solution has been found and the project as developed by the Council can proceed to the next stage. We have obviously provided funding to facilitate that. I thank your advocacy and others in terms of getting to this point. Thank you, Minister. This is a long history and it is sad. I was on the bridge when I did flood in 2015 and it is closed because of danger. The bridge was repaired. There have been numerous consultant reports dealing with fishing, dealing with every kind of aesthetics, dealing with architecture. I was under that bridge and it was repaired. There is no understanding at all as to why it is left one way at the time. Obviously, Drugs and Services, Marcus O'Connor wanted to make that one-way penalty. The people of Alfin, through the Community Council, salute them. Marcus Deakin, Secretary and the Council of England, Chairman. But the previous office as well, massive submissions were put into the Board of Penawna. By people from Cloughin, Araddon, Balapurine, Eurogrange, everywhere. Board of Penawna, in the wisdom, decided that it should not be one-way, that it should be two-way traffic. But the Council had been obstinate, stubborn and refused to accept what Board of Penawna wanted. We then went off and did another review, an independent review. The consultants were hired, more money spent on those. They came up with the option of a standard old bridge. That was put in for the NTA on the encouragement of the Taoiseach. It is bewilderment, the NTA's decision, what happened. I lay the blame totally with the Council. The Council. You have a chance to get it back. Thanks, Deputy. Look, as you have said, there is a long history to this. Having been down there, and I know you were there as well last week, it is important from a road safety perspective, I think, that we see that preliminary design work progress, and hopefully a planning application after it. I think, in the interest of providing safe, active travel for the community in Ardfinan, that there is that independent bridge, as you have said. Look, I understand the history and the concerns within the local community, and how this has been going on for a significant period. But through strong advocacy, as you have said, of the Community Council, Councillor Agallam, Deputy Cattle and yourself, we have now a point to make progress on this, and we need to see the NTA with the Council progress that preliminary design, and move ahead with the proposal as the feasibility study, the recent feasibility study set out. I have already asked to know how much has been spent on consultants on this bridge. We need to build a new bridge. Look, active travel has done great things in many areas, some things I disagree with, and we have funding everywhere for all kinds, through bogs and cross rivers. We have seen these bridges can be erected, so I do not know what is the big deal, why the NTA took it out, and why do we have to go back into the process again of design and submission to Port Panola. People do not have the faith in Port Panola that they used to have, as we know, because of recent scandals, but I can say to you on behalf of the people, and indeed Deputy Martin Brown has been advocating also very strong, that people will not give up. They are very angry, very disappointed at the amount of money that has been spent here in consultants, and even when we get a consultant's independent report, and that the NTA had someone's instructions to just dump it out of the plant completely, out of the programme. That is black adding of the highest order. If I have described this bridge, and Stephen Grace, the wonderful composer, I am sure he will probably print the paper again, I have described, and I wish him well on his recent illness, I have described it as a troubled bridge over tranquil water. That is what it is, because it is just downright black adding to leave it for that length of time, and now we are looking at a further, maybe 15 months or 18 months of delay again. It is unsafe for children, especially in the school, and the brett's harvest intake there as well, so it must be done. Thank you, Minister Trudeau. Well, I think, look, we are at a point of progress now, and that was not there two weeks ago, as you are aware of, and I think, as I said, the strong advocacy of all public representatives and the Community Council, we are now in a position to develop that preliminary design, and there has to be a process around design and planning, as you are aware, for every aspect of public infrastructure. I am sure the NTA and the Council will be able to provide the information on the historic funding position of consultants or other structures, but the most important thing here for the community is that there is progress and there is that opportunity now to develop and progress the independent bridge in the interests of road safety, and I think the sincerity of what the Community Council set out to me and to you and to others last week has been heard. and shows the importance of strong advocacy within communities when decisions are being made. But I appreciate your own input and advocacy on this project. Thank you very much. Moving on now. Thank you very much. Moving on now.