Agreement reached on temporary closure of N5 access to west Mayo community

An agreement has been reached in the dispute over the planned closure of a main access route to Islandeady for an extended period to facilitate the development of the new N5 motorway between Turlough and Westport.

The head of the Castlebar Municipal District, Iarla Moran, has today signed an order which will result in the access being closed for three weeks – not three months as originally feared by the community.

The order states: “From 8 p.m. on Monday, June 21, to 6 p.m. on Monday, July 12, the L-1811 from the junction with the N5 for a length of approximately 400 metres (will be closed).

“Access to Islandeady from Westport will be via the L-1810 Fahybeg Road and either the L-1805 Lodge Road or the L- 4849 Derradda Road.

“Access from Castlebar into Islandeady will be via the R-311 Newport Road and Fahybeg Road.

"Local access to properties within the closure area will be provided.

“The decision was taken in order to carry out the construction of the new Islandeady Road culvert, approach roads to the new Islandeady Road overbridge, the link road to Islandeady Cemetery Road, and associated earthworks and drainage, as part of the N5 Westport to Turlough Road project."

Councillor Ger Deere has welcomed the agreement as 'a reasonable solution'.

He praised everybody involved, including Islandeady Community Council, for the professional and solution-led approach adopted in the matter.