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Updated 9.11am
A PROTEST OVER a proposed bridge in Kilkenny has grown from ‘twenty individuals to over hundreds’ in recent weeks, those on site have said.
And they will be taking the protest to the council’s office on Monday to voice their concerns over the development.
The protesters are objecting to the construction of the bridge as it would more traffic, including more trucks, to the centre of the medieval city
Instead, there are calls for the funding allotted for the project to be used to finish a ring road, which could alleviate any traffic issues.
The dispute stretches as far back as the 1970s, local Green Party councillor Malcolm Noonan explained.
“There are concerns around the visual impact of the bridge,” he told TheJournal.ie, “and on the city’s heritage. Some people view it as preparation for larger developments”.
He criticised the council for failing to engage with the concerns of the public, and said that funding issues have been cited for a delay in completion of the ring road.
“Finish the ring road, and then see if we need the bridge,” Byrne added.
Protesters have been on site three weeks now.
Last week, they prevented a truck carrying pile-driving equipment from accessing the site, prompting more local residents to join their cause.
“The protesters at the site here are not a group… a number of people decided that they were fed up being ignored by the councillors and the executive on this issue,” protester Margaret O’Brien said.
She said it began with twenty people, and claimed there are now “several hundred” different people visiting the site to express their support, some even with debilitating illnesses or in wheelchairs.
O’Brien added one hoped for is a deferral of the project “to give everyone a moment to sit back and talk about it”.
Garda involvement
In the early hours of this morning, gardaí cordoned off the streets in Kilkenny to escort machinery onto the site. Just two protesters were at the gate at the time and it is understood as many as 30 gardaí attended.
There was no disruption and neither of the protesters were arrested but Helen Murray, who has been involved in the protest, said this morning that she believed this response was “very heavyhanded”.
“We just want somebody to listen to us, we don’t want any aggravation”, she said.
- Additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy.
First published 6.30am
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My daughter is a social care worker with adults with learning difficulties & in her place of work they still haven’t been tested. All these adults are all live in house’s where she works.
I’d like to see some up to date reports of testing figures. This article quotes 188,837 from last Saturday, even though a figure of 214,761 has been published since then. What is the current figure for community testing?
It is right we test the people in Direct Provision as a priority because they have suffered enough after fleeing war torn countries.
@Frances Faller: nobody should be a priority in this. Everybody needs to be treated the same. Nobody’s health is more or less important than anyone else, does not matter where they came from
@Frances Faller: This is a common misconception. One can claim asylum under many different categories including sexual orientatation
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: maybe not a priority but their pleas shouldn’t be falling on deaf ears for weeks now. Money talks – FG don’t want to challenge those making a fortune out it direct provision to implement social distancing.
Also the Irish public just doesn’t care.
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: not true. Not everyone has the luxury of isolating themselves. People in direct provision and nursing homes are by default in environments where it’s difficult to isolate and where the virus is more easily transmitted. Tackling these outbreaks helps to eradicate the virus for everyone.
@Frances Faller: but what to do with the with people in direct provision that are making a mockery of the asylum process Pamela Izevbekhai springs to mind, cost the state half a millon Euro.There is no war in Albania, Moldova,Nigeria,Zimbabwe,Pakistan and Bangladesh to name but a few.
@JJandtim Dwyer: The Irish went all over the world and was treated very well and a lot became millionaires. All the refugees want is the same chance.
@Frances Faller: no problem with people coming from war torn countries, but as a certain Judge who is an expert on the topic,stated that 95% of asylum seekers are not telling the truth on why they came to Ireland, but in fact they come for work/migration
@Frances Faller: you are terrible at trolling
@Frances Faller: Have absolutely no problem with people coming here from a war torn country, its their right to seek shelter from tyranny,but I will not be made a fool of by those that spin the most outrageous yarns to gain access to my country.
I am sick to death of this comparison of , The Irish went all over the world , of course they did as they had their land was confiscated and their crops stolen , and were transported for stealing a loaf of bread, They built countries infrastructure , railways , highways, Dams and broke their backs doing it and never requested a nice hotel in the city.with 3 meals a day and weekly payment.
Their is nothing free in this world we al have to do our bit there is no such thing as a free lunch.
@JJandtim Dwyer: Well said. That horse that is usually trotted out about the Irish going “all over the world” when really it was to anglophone countries in the vast majority of cases, and as you rightly point out – it was sink or swim for those Irish souls.
Deport.
Why were they tested? Were they in at risk categories?
The Irish went all over the world and were treated well?? It’s for exactly the opposite reason we should have empathy with asylum seekers ‘ no dogs and no Irish ‘
have your say