Minister to visit Tipp

Minister Jack Chambers to visit Thurles with Ryan O'Meara TD

The Fianna Fáil TD for North Tipperary, Ryan O’Meara has organised for the Fianna Fáil Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure, Jack Chambers to visit Thurles with him this Friday. September 25.

Deputy O’Meara has organised for his Fianna Fáil colleague, Minister Jack Chambers to visit the site of the proposed Thurles Inner Relief Road and Turtulla Cross, both priority infrastructure projects for the local Deputy, as well as a visit to Thurles Golf Club.

Deputy O’Meara said: “I am pleased that Minister Chambers has agreed to my request to visit Thurles to view first-hand the need for both the Thurles Inner Relief Road and the Turtulla Cross Roundabout Scheme.

“I have consistently raised these two key infrastructure projects for Thurles with both the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, and Minister Chambers. It is a priority for me that both projects progress and to do this, we will require significant capital funding from government over the coming years. I will take the opportunity in person with Minister Chambers in Thurles to show to him the importance of funding these projects.

“I previously met with Minister Chambers in his department in Dublin in advance of the finalisation of the National Development Plan (NDP) to ensure that the Thurles Inner Relief Road was included in the updated NDP. We succeed in this. Now, statutory Planning is in place for the scheme, the required lands have been acquired, and preliminary design has been prepared. I anticipate that we will see further progress in the coming weeks on the appointment of consultants for detailed design. This is a vital project for Thurles to assist in easing traffic congestion in the town and to finally provide a desperately-needed second river crossing for Thurles.

“I will also explain to the minister that the Part 8 planning process has been completed for the Turtulla Cross Roundabout Scheme, with approval anticipated this autumn. The scheme will replace the existing staggered junction with a new roundabout and deliver significant road safety improvements on a key route serving Thurles and the wider area. Turtulla Cross has been a major safety issue for many years, and I want the Minister to see for himself the road safety need as part of my work to secure funding for this project also.

“Finally, I would like to thank Minister Chambers for taking time out of his busy schedule, particularly in the lead up to the Budget, to visit Thurles with me to discuss these key projects.”