Opposition have until June 17 to challenge the plan for the ring road
15:40, 09 Jun 2026Updated 15:41, 09 Jun 2026
Galway Ring Road
An Coimisiún Pleanála are set to make a decision on the Galway Ring Road on June 17.
Plans were approved for the development back in April, with An Coimisiún Pleanála stating that the eight-week period to take a judicial review against the Commission’s Galway Ring Road decision ends on the 17 June 2026.
In a statement, they said: “The Commission has been served with one judicial review in respect of the Galway Ring Road and is aware that two other sets of proceedings have been filed with Central Office of the High Court.
“The Commission will examine the Statement of Grounds in each of the cases and will file its Statement of Opposition as soon as possible, so that the cases are ready for hearing.”
An Coimisiún Pleanála granted approval for the N6 Galway City Ring Road (N6 GCRR), which was welcomed by Galway County Council, Galway City Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
In a statement at the time, they said that the approval of these plans will be “a core component of the wider transport solution for Galway City and County.”
The full statement said: “Galway County Council, Galway City Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) welcome the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant approval for the N6 Galway City Ring Road (N6 GCRR).
“The N6 GCRR is a core component of the wider transport solution for Galway City and County, complementing BusConnects, ongoing rail enhancements, Active Travel and the continued delivery of other major transport initiatives under the Galway Transport Strategy (GTS).”Galway County Council, Galway City Council and TII recognise that the prolonged planning process associated with the N6 GCRR has been very difficult for home and property owners affected by the proposed route.”Galway County Council, Galway City Council and TII will now proceed, following a detailed review of An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision, to the next phase of the project.
“The Enabling and Procurement stage includes the progression of detailed design, preparation of contract documentation and the procurement process.”
The Mayor of Galway, Councillor Mike Cubbard, welcomed the decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant planning permission for the Galway City Ring Road.He said that, after a prolonged period marked by legal challenges and planning delays, the approval represents a significant milestone for the region.“The Ring Road is one of the largest and most important infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Galway and will bring benefits not just for the city, but for the county and the wider west of Ireland,” he said.Councillor Cubbard noted, however, that the project alone will not resolve Galway’s long-standing traffic issues. He said that, alongside initiatives such as BusConnects, active travel investment and increased rail capacity, the Ring Road will play an important role in improving overall transport in the city.“The Ring Road is not a silver bullet for our city’s traffic congestion issues,” he explained.
“While this project will help to remove some traffic from the city and greatly improve connectivity between east Galway and Connemara, we must continue to introduce further measures to encourage a shift towards public transport.”He added that improving bus and rail services is essential, warning that traffic congestion and limited public transport options are currently acting as barriers to business investment, retail activity and tourism.Councillor Cubbard also stressed the importance of supporting those directly impacted by the development.“It is essential that Galway City and County Councils, along with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, engage meaningfully with affected individuals and families, particularly those who may face the loss of property. Ensuring they are supported and assisted to relocate as smoothly as possible must be a priority,” he said.He said he now hopes the project can proceed without further unnecessary delays and deliver long-term benefits for the region in terms of connectivity, transport efficiency and quality of life.
Galway Chamber has called for immediate progress on the N6 Galway City Ring Road after An Coimisiún Pleanála approved the project, warning that any further delay would undermine the region’s economic prospects.The Chamber, which represents 500 businesses employing 30,000 people in Galway city, said congestion is continuing to damage productivity, investment and quality of life.Chief executive Karen Ronan said the decision marked an important step but insisted that Galway “has waited long enough”.“This project has been discussed, delayed and debated for years while congestion has continued to worsen, impacting our economy, our environment and the daily lives of people across the region. The time for delivery is now,” she said.Ms Ronan said the Ring Road would not solve Galway’s traffic problems on its own but was “a central part of a multistrand approach”, with BusConnects, expanded rail services and investment in cycling infrastructure all required to tackle the city’s transport challenges.She also warned that the project “cannot afford to be beset by additional legal and administrative delays that have affected it since the outset” and urged Galway County Council, Galway City Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to move without delay to the detailed design and procurement stage.The Chamber said the Ring Road remains essential to unlocking economic growth and restoring Galway’s competitiveness as a regional and international investment location.It said the project must now be treated as a national priority and aligned with the State’s commitments to balanced regional development under the National Planning Framework.“This is not just a Galway issue. It is a national economic issue.
“If we are serious about regional development, then projects like the Galway Ring Road must be delivered with urgency and accountability,” Ms Ronan said.The Chamber said it will continue to work with Government and local authorities to ensure the project advances without further delay.
The An Bord Pleanála approval decision on the Ring Road was quashed by a January 2024 High Court ruling which found Board’s decision had not taken the State’s Climate Action Plan into account when approving the build.
An Bórd Pleanála had approved the build as back as 2021, the approval granted in 2023 was quashed in the aforementioned High Court ruling in January with the reassessment by ABP due to begin in September 2024.
For all the latest breaking news headlines today, visit our website home page.
Join Galway Beo’s top stories and breaking news service on WhatsApp.
Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
