M18/17 motorway route land-owners ‘gambling' CPO money

By TONY GALVIN LAND-owners along the proposed Gort to Tuam motorway are playing a dangerous game of financial roulette, The Herald has learned.[private] Many land-holders who have had their property obtained under CPO (compulsory purchase order) in order to facilitate the building of the proposed Gort-Tuam motorway, it now transpires, have not drawn down their compensation. One source speculated that some who have left significant amounts sitting in limbo accounts controlled by Galway Co Council may feel that their compensation is safer there than in their own bank. accounts. There is also the suggestion that three per cent interest paid on funds awaiting collection is prompting some to leave their compensation in these accounts for as long as possible. However, according to a well-placed source, this could be a very dangerous gamble. There is now a real danger that the Government could be preparing to take back all compensation not drawn down and return it to the central exchequer or divert it to other projects. The source indicated that if the M18/17 Gort-Tuam motorway projects is postponed indefinitely, there is a strong likelihood of this happening. There is still no definite news on the project with increasing speculation that it will not get the go-ahead. Negotiations are on-going between prospective road construction companies over the details of a PPP (public private partnership) arrangements. However it is understood that several major companies are reluctant to go into partnership with the Irish state until the current financial uncertainty eases. If the plan is put on ice land owners who have not drawn down their compensation could be left with nothing and have their farmland returned to their ownership. [/private]