3 Public Consultation

Public Consultation No. 2 was undertaken between May 2001 and August 2001 with the public consultation exhibitions being held over a two-week period in May 2001. The objectives of the consultation were: -

• Present the route corridor options to the public.
  
• Inform them of process and programme for the project.
  
• Invite submissions on these options.
  
• Gather local information, which may not be known to the design team.
  

Because the scheme covered such a large geographical area the study area was split into seven sections; A, B, C and D covered the north and E, F and G covered the south. Each route corridor option shown covered a corridor width of 100 metres.

A total of 55,000 flyers giving details of the exhibition venues and dates were delivered to households in the study area. Advertisements were placed in the local papers and broadcast on local radio. A total of 1,623 people attended the northern consultation exhibitions held in Carlow Town, Athy, Castledermot and Bagnalstown, and 1,545 attended southern exhibitions at Kilkenny, Thomastown, Mullinavat and Waterford. Attendees were asked to sign a register and were handed the information brochure, map inserts, questionnaire and freepost envelope on entry. Letters of consultation were issued to a number of statutory and non-statutory bodies notifying them of the route options under consideration and inviting them to comment on the options. Responses from ten of these bodies were obtained together with responses from a further seven official bodies.

In the north a total of 1,308 responses were received from individuals together with five from local resident groups, whilst 682 responses were received in the south.

Most responses were from people who would be affected by one of the options. In the north 25% of responses agreed in principle with the need for the N9/N10 scheme with 57% unsure; in the south the corresponding figures were 22% and 7%.

Environmental issues were of major concern together with the impact on people living near the route corridor or affected by demolition of property.
Throughout Public Consultation No. 2 valuable information was collected which assisted the route selection process.

Whilst the public consultation was underway a full range of studies was being undertaken by environmental and engineering specialists to gather details along each of the route options. Wider studies, not specific to each option, were also undertaken to gather socio-economic data and planning constraints