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Lee Valley campaigner shocked at Quinn’s call for a motorway
"...the same top-down and elitist thinking that was adopted in relation to the Nice Treaty, telling the people what they want"
Prof. John Maguire, a member of the Lee Valley Protection Campaign, this week reacted with shock to Labour Party leader Ruairí Quinn’s backing of the idea of a motorway from Cork to Killarney.  "There is still the danger that this road will be built in virgin territory destroying the jewel in the crown – the beauty of this area. The notion is self-contradictory, given the
negative visual impact in an area  that is trying to bring in tourists," the campaigner stated on Tuesday morning.  Mr. Quinn had told members of Macroom UDC at a civic reception held in his honour at Macroom Town	From left, Ruairi Quinn, TD, leader of the Labour Party and Martin Coughlan, whos has just been nominated as the Labour Party candidate for Cork North West in the forthcoming general election, pictured during the leader's visit to Macroom Hospital on Monday.  (Picture Catherine Ketch)
Hall on Monday night that Macroom UDC should try to form an alliance with Kerry County Council and Killarney UDC to get commitment for a motorway all the way from Kerry to Ballincollig.  "Until the road infrastructure is improved, Macroom will be disadvantaged", he said, speaking on the employment situation in the area following the closure of GSI. But, Prof. Maguire declared: "Even the NRA and the present government have said a dual carriageway is not necessary from Macroom to Ballyvourney and are going beyond their own calculations in planning one between Macroom and Ballincollig.  It is very inappropriate, he continued, for someone "to parachute in and give a knee-jerk reaction" to the closure in Macroom, which of course in regrettable and we have great solidarity with the people of Macroom, but this is not the way to go about solving the problem. This is not the best way of using scarce resources, while the problems of health and education are on the back burner.  "Those that say they are building up an opposition are adopting the same top-down and elitist thinking that was adopted in relation to the Nice Treaty, telling the people what they want," he pointed out. Mr. Quinn also promised on Monday night that there would be a Department for Public Infrastructure in the next government Labour was involved in, which would tie all capital expenditure together: "All capital expenditure would be plugged together and spent together", he said. Mr. Quinn was in Macroom for the Cork North West Labour Party selection convention, which nominated local urban councillor Martin Coughlan as the labour party   Copyright © Southern Star 2001 www.southernstar.ie Saturday November 17th 2001	candidate for Cork North West in the next general election. Mr. Coughlan said he agreed fully with the statement by Mr Quinn and said that a motorway had to be a plus from the town’s point of view.  "We must have a proper network to provide jobs," he said. Mr Coughlan added that he lived at Farnanes when the present N22 was built and that, 25 years later, the road was inadequate. If there will be a dual carriageway from Ballincollig to Macroom and a single lane from Macroom to Killarney, a motorway will have to be built in ten to 15 years time, he said. Mr Pat O’Connell, chairman of Macroom UDC, asked Mr. Quinn to take up with the various agencies the plight of Macroom due to the closure of General Semiconductor, which was a major shock to the area with the loss of 680 jobs. He said proper infrastructure, a bypass and a new school were needed in the town. Political pressure needs to be brought to bring new industry to the area, he said. Mr. Quinn complimented the council on the system of sharing the chairmanship of the UDC. It was a system of co-operation that other councils could emulate, he said. He also complimented Martin Coughlan and said he would carry the flag of labour with honour. During his Macroom visit, Mr. Quinn met with the matron and staff of Macroom Hospital and members of the Friends of Macroom Hospital, with whom he discussed plans for a new day care centre, an ambulance centre and extra beds, particularly for Alzheimer's patients.  Speaking at the hospital, he said that forward planning in the health service was not good and that it could not cope with the numbers needing care: "We have the money to do it", he said, "if the country can even think about £75m necessary for a sports stadium".  Mr. Quinn later visited the COPE centre and Bealick Mill. He congratulated those responsible for the wonderful restoration of the mill.