The Irish Times

Something is happening in Sligo that probably isn't happening anywhere else in Europe - a major national route, the N4, is being driven through the middle of the town. And the severance it has caused will be irreparable for a century or more. No fewer than 52 houses - most still lived in until they were compulsorily acquired and blocked up by Sligo Borough Council - were demolished to make room for this four-lane highway. Historic buildings, such as the Harper Collins warehouse, were also pulled down because they were in the way. As minister for the environment in 1993, Michael Smith was so concerned about the destructive impact of Sligo's "Inner Relief Road" that he called for an independent assessment of it. But consultant engineers McCarthy and Partners endorsed the scheme, subject to minor modifications. Despite the opposition of borough councillors, who favoured proceeding with a bypass instead, the plan was approved in August 2000 by Noel Dempsey, then minister for the environment. At the time, it was estimated to cost £18 million (€23 million), but the final bill is now likely to exceed €70 million.