Minister expresses disappointment at lack of progress on Kilkenny Ring Road extension

Green Party TD for Carlow Kilkenny and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan has expressed his disappointment at the failure of Kilkenny County Council to progress the Northern Ring Road Extension, saying the lack of urgency by the Council must be addressed.

Minister Noonan says the Department of Transport received no funding application from Kilkenny County Council for the North Ring Road for 2024, while 2023’s funding of €100,000 to progress a strategic assessment of the scheme was not spent. 

Funding for bridge at O'Loughlin Road in Kilkenny City

€17 million announced for regional and local roads in Kilkenny

“The lack of urgency is of real concern,”Minister Noonan said today, as the Local and Regional Road Allocations for 2024 were released.

“After many years of pressure and delays, I was expecting to see significant funding allocated to progress the Ring Road Extension this year. Instead, we found out that Kilkenny County Council didn’t apply for funding this year and that last year’s funding wasn’t spent. As someone who has been campaigning for completion of the Ring Road for 20 years, I’m extremely disappointed to learn that Kilkenny County Council is only now developing a Transport Strategy which will consider, among other things, the development of this project.

 “Strategically and in every other sense, the Ring Road is quite simply vital for the future of our city, as it will allow us to improve public transport, walking and cycling in Kilkenny city. Over many years of putting pressure on the Council to advance this, we’ve even produced a 10,000-signature petition calling for its completion. This news is a body blow to the economic, cultural and social development of the city.”

 On next steps, Minister Noonan said:

 “It’s important that Kilkenny County Council outline their ambition and intention in relation to the Ring Road, including immediate next steps, a timeline for delivery and a robust explanation for why the money had to be returned last year. We were all under the impression that this was advancing, and it needs to be progressed urgently to improve the quality of life of the people of Kilkenny.”

Cllr Maria Dollard, Green Party Councillor for Kilkenny City, said:

“Instead of finishing the Ring Road and directing traffic away from the city, a majority of councillors opted to construct the ill-advised Central Access Scheme which is actively directing traffic through the Medieval core, past residential areas, schools, and the hospital. We’re now stuck with more traffic in the city than ever before. While we recognise that the Council is making good progress on active travel plans, and the success of the bus service is exceeding expectations, it has to be acknowledged that we cannot realise our full ambition for walking, cycling and public transport until we take HGVs and other through traffic out of the city centre.”

Both Minister Noonan and Councillor Dollard have welcomed Kilkenny’s overall allocation of €17.8m for maintaining and restoring regional and local roads in the county but say that progressing the Ring Road Extension must become the top priority for the local authority. 

“We are committed to ensuring that the Ring Road Extension becomes the number one priority for the Council and we will continue to work to make Kilkenny a safer, quieter and healthier place to live and to work.” Minister Noonan concluded. “The millions of euros being allocated for active travel in Kilkenny will count for nothing if there is an ongoing failure to address the danger posed by HGVs in the city.”