Taoiseach told of regular traffic chaos in Letterkenny

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was briefed on the “traffic bedlam” that commuters and hospital‑goers regularly face in Letterkenny.

Donegal Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn raised the long wait for the Bonagee Link in the Dáil, describing “traffic misery” affecting people travelling from across Donegal and visitors to the county. He called the congestion in the county’s largest town “utter bedlam regularly”.

Mac Lochlainn urged the Government to give Donegal’s €800 million TEN‑T road project critical‑infrastructure status, which would prioritise the scheme in the approvals process while still requiring the normal planning steps. The TEN‑T programme includes the Letterkenny Relief Road, a new bridge over the Swilly at Bonagee, a bypass of Ballybofey and Stranorlar, and a dual carriageway from Manorcunningham to Lifford linking to the A5.

The Taoiseach said the project was progressing but gave no commitment to grant critical‑infrastructure status, noting that not every road can be placed on the list and that priorities must be set. He said he would speak to the Minister for Infrastructure about any issues holding the scheme back.

In May, Donegal County Council applied to An Coimisiún Pleanála for approval of the road scheme and a compulsory‑purchase order. By early October, around 200 submissions had been lodged, and the council has written to the Department of Public Expenditure and Infrastructure requesting designation under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026. Transport Infrastructure Ireland supports the request. Minister for Infrastructure Eamon Chambers later confirmed nine projects have been designated critical infrastructure and that further recommendations will be presented to Government before year‑end.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Thang Nguyen / Pexels.