M6 - Galway City Ring Road [planning approved]

The O'Malleys, the Kerins, and Shane Foran have been confirmed as 3 of the 4 JR applicants, and I hear that the 4th litigant is coming from another another local challenge being brought by affected residents. I don't beleive that Friends of the Irish environment have lodged a JR but they have asked some questions see https://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/press-releases/an-coimisiun-pleanala-chairs-public-endorsement-of-galway-ring-road-questioned

I don't know much about FOIE but have to say I agree with them there. A judge publicly celebrating the outcome of a trial up for their judgement is dicey territory. I've very little trust in ACP at this stage, myself.

It does look like FOIE are saying "we now have no legal basis to challenge this decision".

Why will Galway not receive any meaningful funding from central government for transport infrastructure if the road is built? Doesn't seem to be the case in Cork. Surely logic would dictate that as you build and grow you make it more likely that more building and growth will happen. Galway should have the ambition to be the economic hub of the West of Ireland. It should be aiming to be a city of 250k with all the services that come with that. Talking about an 18km road for years and years is the most embarrassing part - just build it and move onto the next crucial piece of critical infrastructure.

TBH buses in Dublin are struggling to get funding right now

The 4th case appears to be another set of residents via BC Law LLP and by Damien Keaney BL, looks like their properties are on or near the proposed route. So, 3 sets of locals lodging because of their properties and Shane Foran on climate grounds, although while well intentioned Shane's track record is not great in terms of success. Doesn't appear that the Friends of the Irish Environment have lodged one, even though they have written a letter about their concerns to ACP, which would have no material bearing on the granted planning approval. These 3 sets of residents have plenty of resources to fund their challenges so one never knows, not sure how Shane can fund his and as he does tend to represent himself in these matters it may explain the outcomes. Having said this I am really surprised that there is not one from the Friends of the Irish Environment or maybe Shane is fronting for them?

Hard to understand you exactly here. The new N59 junction will be to the West of the N59, really a Letteragh Road junction, with a new link road to the N59. Is that link road the strip of land you mean? Otherwise, loads of strips of land for drainage around there, see map on Page 6 here: https://www.n6galwaycityringroad.ie/sites/default/files/media/Figure%2011.5.101%20to%2011.5.115.pdf

Or maybe you mean the drainage outlet on drawing 112 there, from Bushpark junction to the river (page 12)?

I was looking at the ACP doc that shows this (which is more North East than due North)

and also the Galway CoCo land take, could be a drainage channel

I've only read the bare details but I thought Shane Foran's objection was more about compliance with road standards (on the feeder roads) than climate related?

I'm not very familiar with his litigation history. The only two I'm aware of are his case against the evening street closures in the Westend last year and the ongoing case against Bus Connects. For the street closures, he withdrew the case after the Council adjusted their plans to allay the concerns he raised, which sounds like a successful outcome to me. What other cases has he taken that have given rise to your assessment that his track record is not very successful?