Ryan to be quizzed on Longford's protracted N4 project during council visit

The Minister has taken a U turn on a missive to the local authority in which he said he was “too busy” and requested to meet with the elected representative when he visits the county on April 28.

Chief Executive of the County Council, Paddy Mahon, told members about the request at the April meeting of the local authority on Wednesday: “The Minister will visit the county to discuss the Just Transition programme. His office has also requested the possibility of meeting with yourselves, here in the Chamber, on the afternoon of Friday, April 28 to discuss items related to his portfolio as a Minister. So the Minister will be here in this room according to his plans,”

Minister Ryan is not the only politician on his way to Longford this month to discuss roads.

The Council CE said the local authority received an email from the Minister for State at the Department of Transport & Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, Jack Chambers, requesting to meet with councillors on April 27: “I hope we will be in a position to discuss the N4 with Minister Chambers at that meeting,” Mr Mahon said.

Cllr Seamus Butler said the ministerial visits present a great opportunity: “Ministers seem to be like buses, you wait ages for one to come along, then two arrive at the same time. It's to be welcomed due to the focus on the N4 at present. We mustn't take our foot off the pedal. It's a huge opportunity on April 27 and 28. I hope we have a full turnout of councillors and we can progress to the stage where the route is decided on and then it can be moved on to the next stage.”

Cllr Paraic Brady was less than enthusiastic about the proposed visit. He said: “I attended a meeting at Leinster House. I really seen first hand what the members of the Green Party's agenda is. If you heard the nonsense that I heard that day about the environmental impact this road would have on farmers, on the livelihood of tourism and everything else.

“We better have our homework done when Minister Ryan comes down here. We need people who have facts on both sides of the house and we need to band together.”

At the last monthly meeting of the local authority a letter from the Transport Minister elicited an angry response. Minister Ryan's one line response to the local authority was dated February 2, 2023.

It was a reply to a Notice of Motion tabled by Cllr Seamus Butler (FF) requesting a meeting between a representative deputation of Council members to highlight the N4 border improvement plan.

The Minister's curt response said he was unable to facilitate the meeting because he was “too busy”.