Last objector withdraws action over Galway city ring road

Updated / Monday, 2 Nov 2026 12:05

The last remaining objector to a proposed ring road in Galway city has withdrawn a High Court challenge, questioning elements of the planned route.

The move means that all applications seeking judicial reviews of the An Coimisiún Pleanála decision to approve the road have now been abandoned.

The planning authority gave the green light for the route last April, after considering remitted information, submitted by Galway City and County Councils.

The road will run from the end of the existing M6 motorway to a location west of the village of Bearna.

Objections by three homeowners were withdrawn following discussions with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local authorities in Galway, in recent weeks.

Now, active travel campaigner Shane Foran has dropped his challenge, after securing agreement in relation to his concerns about the implications the project would have on a number of minor routes close to the planned development.

He was worried about the impact of increased traffic volumes on the Headford, Ballymoneen and Letteragh Roads, particularly in relation to vulnerable road users.

Mr Foran said he is satisfied that a pledge to "progress the possibility of providing high quality" walking and cycling facilities on the roads in question can alleviate his concerns.

In light of the active travel commitments agreed following mediation, Mr Foran said he is withdrawing his challenge.

Plans to construct the 18km ring road, aimed at easing traffic gridlock in Galway, have been slow to advance since they were first proposed over a decade ago.

While approval for the route was initially given in 2022, this was later quashed, when it emerged that An Coimisiún Pleanála had not considered the impact the development would have on the State's Climate Action Plan.

Galway County and City Councils submitted revised environmental analysis and data, which was finally adjudicated upon by An Coimisiún Pleanála last April.

Funding of around €1 billion has been earmarked for the construction of the road, which is expected to take around three years to complete.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien said: "I'm delighted that this mediation process has resulted in the withdrawal of the judicial review proceedings against the Galway City Ring Road.

"It means we can now look forward to the delivery of this transformative project."

"Today’s announcement is good news for the people of Galway and gives everyone much needed certainty about the next steps," he added.

Minister of State for International and Road Transport Seán Canney said the agreement represented a hugely significant breakthrough and removed the final legal obstacle to progressing one of the most important infrastructure projects for Galway and the west of Ireland.

"This is a major step forward for a project that has been talked about for far too long. We can now move ahead and finally deliver the Galway Ring Road," he added in a statement.