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Transport Minister cancels Road Opening

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  • 16-12-2009 10:39pm
    #1
    Villain
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭


    It has been reported that the opening of the new stretch of M9 has been cancelled at the Ministers Request http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63532026

    Does anyone have any information on this?

    This delay could put peoples lives in unncessary danger as the new road will greatly improve the safety of all those who use the old road. The was due to open on Monday as reported by The AA and in the Irish Times today.

    As you can see from the linked thread above many of us have contacted the Minister and will be trying to get this resversed if anyone here is a member of FF and has contact with Noel Dempsey or his office I would appreciate if you could stress the dangers this decision could lead to.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    kwinabeeste
    Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭kwinabeeste


    Proof in the pudding is that there will be road works on the M9 from AA roadwatch

    http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/traffic/story.asp?id=106694


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    #3
    View
    Registered Users Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭View


    Maybe the Minister decided to save a bit of tax-payer's money?

    After all, why do we need these ribbon-cutting ceremonies anyway? Not to mention the plaques that always accompany them. Does anyone who drives on the roads care about who cut the ribbon? How often have you ever seen anyone pulled over to the side to read one of the plaques?

    Just get a roadworker to lift the traffic cones out of the way and let people get on with the driving...


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    #4
    Villain
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Villain


    I don't care if a dog opens the road, its ready to open and it should be opened end of


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    #5
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    View wrote: »
    Maybe the Minister decided to save a bit of tax-payer's money?

    By refusing to open a fully-finished and fully-audited new stretch of motorway? :confused:

    Doesn't strike me as particular beneficial to our finances.

    I'm all for doing away with silly ribbon-cutting ceremonies. But in this case, he hasn't done away with it, he's just postponed it until a date that is more convenient for HIM, at the expense of... well, umm... everyone else.


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    #6
    View
    Registered Users Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭View


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    By refusing to open a fully-finished and fully-audited new stretch of motorway? :confused:

    Doesn't strike me as particular beneficial to our finances.

    Well, two points:
    i) There is no need to have the motorway opened by a Minister at all.
    ii) The Minister would no doubt be accompanied by an entourage of civil servants and political advisors. It costs money to get them there and to stand there for the opening of the motorway. Is that really the most productive ways for them to spend their time?


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    #7
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    They should get Pippa O'Connor to open it - she costs f*ck all & going by her appearence on the final of the Apprentice, she's also not too worried about the odd "nip slip".

    In these recessionary times, it's things like this, that we need, going forward.


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    #8
    Raiser
    Registered Users Posts: 4,929 ✭✭✭Raiser


    Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch (Is that what's on his Birth Cert?) was on Newstalk this morning explaining that a local TD was lobbied by local Businessmen into magically having the opening delayed because they were worried about missing out on Christmas trade at their greasy tills.

    - Transport Minister checked his Passport for a harp and duly obliged......

    P.S. That Pippa O'Connor thing was funny, until it dawns on you that most Fianna Fail publicity shots actually do have 2 red-faced, jowly, high blood pressure, sleazy Scumbag Geriatrics standing beside a 20 year old Model in a hard hat while trying to look down her top.


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    #9
    Davidth88
    Registered Users Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭Davidth88


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1217/1224260838848.html

    Sean Power should be ashamed of himself, but I imagine thats a vain hope.

    I truly hope this stupid greedy decision does not cost someone their life.


    Anyone who votes for him should reconsider their position I think .....


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    #10
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    Davidth88 wrote: »
    Anyone who votes for him should reconsider their position I think .....

    you mean the business owners in question?


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    #11
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    Davidth88 wrote: »
    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1217/1224260838848.html

    Sean Power should be ashamed of himself, but I imagine thats a vain hope.

    I truly hope this stupid greedy decision does not cost someone their life.


    Anyone who votes for him should reconsider their position I think .....

    It's the Irish Times who should be ashamed. To even suggest this, is to imply that our public representatives might pander to vested interests. Outrageous suggestion. :eek:


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    #12
    Davidth88
    Registered Users Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭Davidth88


    Riskymove wrote: »
    you mean the business owners in question?

    No I mean Mr Power...


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    #13
    Wicklowcpl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭Wicklowcpl


    I live in the West Wicklow area and use the N9 daly when travelling to Dublin. I also use this route travelling to Carlow. As far as I can remember other than the 2 petrol stations in Castledermot, which are within the village limits so wont loose all business, I'm guessing that the petrol station listed as being part of this is the one at Ballitore. I must admit I have used this one in the mornings for coffee, petrol & it’s excellent car wash. But this driver won’t be using it ever again, not even tomorrow when I will need petrol, or Christmas Eve when I always get my car washed.

    My wife just rang she works with a woman who lives in Castledermot. The story from there is that Kildare County Council don’t want the road opened until March. They are worried that should snow & ice develop that they would be required to grit the road, and this costs money. This then asks the question, do they not have to grit the existing road in snow & ice? I think after the delays in the ice 2 weeks ago we all know the answer to that. Also as the cost of a road accident involving death was estimated some years ago at about €220,000, when everything is added up, how much does it cost to grit 27.55km of road?

    Finally if the worst should happen and somebody does die in a road accident on the current road, and it can be proved that no engineering or safety reason kept the new road from opening, would the family of the casulaty have a case to issue proceedings against the Minister? Would this also then extend to the TD, & the business owners, who have now extended the risk to life of all users of the current N9.

    It all makes me wonder if the N81, listed as one of the most dangerous roads in Ireland, may actually be safer, as at least Wicklow Co Co grit this road.


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    #14
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    Davidth88 wrote: »
    No I mean Mr Power...

    he should reconsider voting for himself?

    interesting...


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    #15
    flop
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭flop


    I have been using the N9 once a week for the past 4 years and i am gobsmacked at the decision from the transport Minister.

    I gave the Dept of transport a ring and i am awaiting a call back. I won't be holding my breath.

    This morning it took about 25 mins to travel off the current M9 via castledermott then back onto the existing M9, i reckon with the new road the same journey could take 10 mins. What a gift that would be to the Irish motorist.

    Anyway i have one more journey to make on that road tomorrow, then i'm off for a 2 week holiday. Lets hope this debacle is sorted early in the new year.

    Flop


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    #16
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    The opening will go ahead as per. People power seems to have done the trick for once.


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