Councillors vent frustration over long wait for revamp of N24 in Carrick-on-Suir

Councillors have vented their frustration and growing impatience at how long it’s taking to start work on the upgrade of 3.8km of the N24 running through Carrick-on-Suir.

Their frustration was voiced at Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s monthly meeting last Thursday where District Engineer Willie Corby reported the project is now due to commence in May.

He told councillors €2.4m has been allocated to allow the project to start. It’s currently going through the contract tendering process.

Councillors were previously informed that the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) project to rehabilitate the road surface and install a variety of safety measures, would start in early June last year.

Carrick-on-Suir councillors David Dunne of Sinn Féin and Kieran Bourke of Fianna Fáil highlighted urgent repairs that need to be carried out on the N24 in their hometown including resurfacing work at O’Mahony Avenue, a dangerous hole on the Pill Road and lighting and poorly visible island signage issues on the Clonmel and Pill Roads.

“We need this project to start. It’s just not acceptable. It needs to start as soon as possible,” said Cllr Dunne.

Cllr Bourke complained there had been “several false dawns” about starting this project.

“I think the TII have to step up to their responsibility. Pressure needs to be put on them. They are getting away with blue murder. We are here since 2014 looking for the upgrade of this section of the N24.

“We have been promised several times it’s going to be done, then coming up to the end of the year we are told it will start next year.”

He said the O’Mahony Avenue section of the N24 was in “absolute bits” and there was a trench cut by Irish Water on the Pill Road section of the N24 two years ago that was now “absolutely dangerous”.

Cllr Bourke believed the council was too quiet and needed to push this project along. “If it was in Tipperary Town it would be done,” he declared.

Mullinahone’s Cllr Kevin O’Meara described the Carrick section of the N24 as a “disgrace” and “embarrassment” when the town was trying to attract tourists.

District Engineer Willie Corby said he appreciated the councillors’ frustration and acknowledged the condition of the N24 is detracting from the town and was getting to a stage where it was one of the worst sections of the route.

He stressed the TII has gone to a lot of trouble finalising the drawings for this project, which secured planning approval in July 2020.

He pointed out the delay in starting the project has allowed the council time “to get our ducks in a row” with utilities like the ESB and Irish Water. He was in contact with Irish Water about replacing old asbestos water mains under the N24 ahead of this project.

“There is no point putting in these new roads and having these companies coming along afterwards and digging trenches again.”

Mr Corby promised to follow up Cllr Dunne’s and Cllr Bourke’s complaints about island signage and lighting issues on the Clonmel and Pill Road sections of the N24.

In relation to the Clonmel Road section, he said he drove home that way and while some spots were dark, he was not aware of any lights that were out on this stretch of road.

Senior council Roads Engineer Liam Brett said he appreciated and understood the councillors’ comments and frustration. Progress had certainly been made on this project but it was not at the speed any of them would like. He promised a lot of developments will be seen over the coming months.