Sinn Fein has claimed the N59 in Connemara is "not fit" to serve the people who rely on it for a living.

Cllr Tom Healy is calling for a safe road to be developed to allow the people of Connemara to connect to the rest of the country in good time.

In addition, he called for the creation of a cross community action group to apply pressure to resolve the issues denying the development of the N59.

Cllr Healy said: "This is an issue for everyone in the community, the road brings in our main business in tourism, and carries our sick to Galway.

"We rely on this road to conduct our business in Galway and further afield, as well as the fact that at the very least we should be able to offer young people the chance to live in their own community while having the option to commute to the cities for work. The recent setbacks are unacceptable to all, and there is a political consensus that this is unacceptable. The lack of progress between the various Government departments now requires direct pressure from the people of Connemara themselves."

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Mr Healy is also organising a public meeting to update people on the issues in Maam Cross at 8pm on Thursday, 11 August.

All political representatives will be invited, as well as representatives from Galway County Council, National Parks and Wildlife, and Community leaders from across Connemara.

He continued: "If we are to secure the future of Connemara for generations to come, then we must stake an equal claim to the right of developing our infrastructure the same as any other community in the country. As it stands, people from Connemara are paying for the poor state of the N59, they are paying for it in higher repair bills for their cars, they are paying for it in terms of delayed journeys to and from work, they are paying for it in painful journeys to get treatment for illness, and they are ultimately paying for it in terms of lost opportunity and the chance to keep our unique community and culture alive."

(CD/LM)