County Council seeks road upgrade for new port

CORK County Council is to seek the fast-tracking of a proposed upgrade to the N28 road to Ringaskiddy following what was described as a “farcical” decision to grant planning permission for a €100 million Port of Cork container facility.
Elected members of Cork County Council – particularly those that represent the people of Ringaskiddy – vented their anger yesterday at the decision to grant planning for a massive container facility in the harbour village.
An Bord Pleanála recently granted permission for the Port of Cork to relocate its cargo handling activities from the city to Ringaskiddy.
The decision will mean a significant increase in the number of large trucks travelling to and from Ringaskiddy during the construction phase and upon completion of the works in 2018.
Planning permission for a similar development was refused in 2008 but permission was granted this time despite the recommendation of An Bord Pleanála’s own inspector to reject the application.
The decision permits the Port to construct two berths at Ringaskiddy East; a new 314 metre container berth that will be capable of accommodating vessels carrying a range of different cargoes, including containers, freight and general cargoes, and an additional 200 metre container berth.
Sinn Féin Cllr Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said the decision to give the green light for the facility would put added pressure on a road network that was already struggling to cope with traffic volumes.
The N28 is the main artery into the industrial zone of Ringaskiddy where more than 4,000 people are employed by large multinational companies.
There are plans to upgrade an 11km stretch of the N28 to mostly dual-carriageway standard but the NRA has said it would be 2021 at the earliest before these works were completed.
Cllr Ó Laoghaire said local residents were concerned about the noise, dust and traffic volumes associated with the Port’s development.
“It is more important than ever that the road is developed,” he said.
The upgraded road is viewed as critically important to plans by the State’s Industrial Development Agency to unlock other land banks that are earmarked for further industrial investment and to allow the Port to expand.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Mary Rose Desmond said she was “completely disgusted” by the decision to grant permission to the Port without the improved infrastructure being in place first.
“They’re putting the cart before the horse. It’s a ridiculous position to have planning without the infrastructure,” she said.
Her party colleague Seamus McGrath said: “The road network is certainly not sufficient. The upgraded N28 is at least five years away, if not eight to ten years away. We’ll have all the upheaval and traffic from the construction phase and from 2018 we’ll have the Port traffic.”
The Labour Party’s Cllr Cathal Rasmussen, who works for a multinational in Ringaskiddy, said: “I travel that road everyday. It’s incredible that permission has been granted.”
Fine Gael councillors Kevin Murphy and Michael Hegarty said there were satisfied with An Bord Pleanála’s decision because it was important for the economic growth of the Cork region.
The council is calling on the Government to prioritise the N28 upgrade.