FG fears new environmental test for proposed roads could ‘strangle’ projects

Fine Gael believes 42 road projects in National Development Plan are protected from being axed or delayed under the Transport Minister’s assessment process

The new plan has led to fears in Fine Gael that Eamon Ryan will use the new process to either turn down road projects or delay them from getting funding indefinitely

Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Transport, has introduced a new environmental test for road projects which Fine Gael fears could “strangle” dozens of planned projects.

A total of 42 road projects are listed in the National Development Plan, and both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil believe they will be protected under a commitment in the programme for government.

However, Ryan has introduced a new assessment process for transport projects which will test if they are ...