Mayo councillors demand immediate action on ‘lethal’ N17 after 20 years of delays
Mayo councillors have called for upgrades to the N17 to be placed back on the agenda, warning that the dangerous stretch of road from Knock, through Charlestown and up towards Curry and Collooney in county Sligo, will claim more fatalities if the works are not carried out.
The issue was raised by Cllr Neil Cruise, who said he was driving to Donegal recently when he noticed a sign reading: “27 deaths on the next 25km of the N17”.
He said local representatives “need to start creating an awful lot of fuss” to have the upgrade works reinstated, “because that is a shocking statistic to see on the side of the road”.
The signs were placed along the N17 by Sligo resident Tommy Banks in July last year in an effort to draw attention to the need for improved safety and to prompt action from public representatives.
Cllr Cruise called for progress to be made on upgrades to the road from Claremorris to Collooney, but warned that delivery could still be years away, saying it would “take us up to when our grandchildren are strong to see any part of it”.
“This is what we are being served up in our area, by TII and by the Government,” he said. Is TII that dysfunctional at this stage?”
“The last time I saw [signs like] that was going on the Dublin Road outside of Sligo,” Cllr Cruise added. “Are they going to have to start putting crosses up on the side of the road again?”
Cllr Gerry Murray told the meeting that a proposal dating back to 2006 had outlined plans for a motorway from Sligo through Charlestown and Knock, and into Claremorris. He said that former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan “chopped the programme in half”.
In 2023, Mr Ryan put a halt to plans for a €600m upgrade of the N17 from Knock to Collooney, citing a lack of funding, despite the project being included in the National Development Plan and National Planning Framework at the time.
Cllr Murray said there had been around nine fatalities from Claremorris alone along the route, and said it was unacceptable that residents still do not have access to a proper motorway.
He supported Cllr Cruise's comments and called on the Government and TII to progress the upgrade from Collooney to Claremorris.
While the project remains active, progress has been slow. The N17 Knock to Collooney Road Project is currently at Phase Three of development, the design and environmental evaluation stage.
This phase aims to develop the Preferred Option in sufficient detail to determine land requirements and assess the potential environmental impact of the scheme.
The project is included in the National Development Plan 2021–2030. Mayo County Council and Sligo County Council have agreed on a Section 85, with Sligo acting as the lead authority on the project.
The proposed development includes bypasses of Ballinacarrow, Achonry, Tobercurry, Charlestown and Bellaghy. It aims to improve safety along the route from Knock to Collooney.
To date, topographical surveys have been carried out from Ireland West Knock Airport to Charlestown, and from north of Tobercurry to Collooney.
Cllr Murray noted that land had been purchased outside Charlestown in 2006 for a planned intersection of the N5 and N17, adding that there had been cross-party consensus at the time.
Cllr Adrian Forkan echoed the concerns raised by his colleagues in relation to the stretch of road, which he said he travels on almost daily for work.
“That will give you an idea of the number of incidents that happen on it, and I don't see them all,” he said. “It is absolutely lethal.”
Cllr Forkan also highlighted that nearly €1m in funding has been allocated by TII for the N5 Swinford Bypass since 2024.
In 2024, the N5 Swinford Bypass Minor Safety Scheme was allocated €30,000, in 2025 it was €300,000, and this year the scheme was allocated €600,000.
“That is almost a million, and people are wondering what is it being spent on, where is it, and is there an actual design now or a plan?” he said.
He added that there appears to be little clarity around progress, saying that anyone he asks about the route “seems to have a different story”.
“Nearly €1m spent, and what is the plan?” he asked.
Head of the Claremorris and Swinford Municipal District, Padraig Flanagan, said he would seek an update for the members.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.