Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald has described Transport Minister Eamon Ryan’s u-turn regarding the Coonagh-Knockalisheen distributor as “a victory for people power”, and she praised the local community for not allowing the government break its commitment to them.

In praising the work and campaign of the local community, the Sinn Féin Leader said;

“This is a long-promised piece of infrastructure vital to the development of the Moyross area and to the future progress of Limerick as a whole.

“Given its importance to unlocking economic, employment and educational opportunities for the area, it is astonishing that the Green Party leader would ever have even contemplated not delivering this project.

“It is a massive relief to the people of the area that the Minister has now seen sense. The commitment from the government that the project will now go ahead as planned and without delay has been secured through the hard work and relentless campaign by the local community.

“It is clear that the government would have dumped its promise to Moyross if it wasn’t for so many people who refused to allow their community to be cast aside. They deserve huge credit and recognition. It is a victory for people power.

“What is important now is that the government sees the completion of this road as only the first step of a wider plan to deliver jobs, homes and much needed investment.

“That is how a brighter future of progress and opportunity will be created for Moyross.”