North Mayo councillor told eastern bypass of Ballina will not be fast-tracked

A North Mayo councillor has been informed that plans for an eastern bypass for Ballina town will not be 'fast-tracked' until the western bypass for the town is approved.

Calls for an eastern by-pass of Ballina town have intensified in recent months with local businesses and residents saying it is needed to alleviate traffic concerns in the north Mayo capital.

The matter was raised at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council by Fine Gael councillor Marie Therese Duffy who called on the local authority to 'prioritise the eastern by-pass of Ballina as the number one road project for Mayo and to engage with TII to ensure that its delivery is fast tracked'.

However, Mayo County Council officials poured cold water on any thoughts of fast-tracking the proposed eastern bypass as plans are afoot to progress the western bypass for the town and this will take priority.

In a response to Cllr Duffy's notice of motion, Paul Hyland, Senior Engineer with the National Roads Office stated that they are currently focused on the progression of the western section of the Ballina Bypass, which has advanced to Phase 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation) of an eight-phase process, in accordance with Transport Infrastructure Ireland's (TII) Project Management Guidelines.

Mr Hyland informed Cllr Duffy that priorities for its national roads programme are informed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland's annual grant allocations and in 2026 funding of €300,000 was allocated to continue this work.

“The project team is currently preparing the planning application for submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which is expected in Q2 2026. This represents a significant milestone in the development of the scheme and reflects the level of investment already committed,” he stated.

Regarding the proposal for an eastern bypass of Ballina, Mr Hyland said Mayo County Council has raised the matter with TII, 'who have acknowledged the increasing local interest in the proposal'. 

“While no funding application for an eastern bypass was submitted in 2026, it is important to note that progressing any major road scheme from inception to construction is a lengthy and complex process requiring significant resources and funding.

“The National Roads Office is currently focused on the delivery of Phase 1 of the Ballina Bypass (western section), and the current availability of funding and technical resources does not permit both schemes to be progressed concurrently.

“The most appropriate sequencing is to progress the current Phase 1 Ballina Bypass (Western Section) to at least statutory consent before initiating a second major scheme in the same urban area.

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“Progressing the western bypass to statutory consent also strengthens the Council's position in future funding requests, by providing clarity on project delivery, maintaining continuity of investment, and avoiding the potential for two major bypass proposals in Ballina to compete for national allocations at an early stage.

“A clear and orderly progression of projects maximises the likelihood of sustained support from TII over the life of both schemes,” he said.

Cllr Marie Therese Duffy called for eastern bypass to be prioritised

Cllr Duffy was also informed that TII has advised that the optimal point to consider initiating work on an eastern bypass is when statutory consent has been secured for the western bypass, which is expected in 2027.

Mr Hyland said at that stage, any request for funding for an eastern bypass will be assessed within the context of TIl's national programme and the resourcing capacity available within the National Roads Office.

“In summary, while Mayo County Council recognises the strategic benefits that an eastern bypass could bring to Ballina, the immediate priority remains the progression of the Western Bypass to statutory consent. 

“This approach ensures a clear and deliverable project pipeline and positions the Council to seek support for an eastern bypass at a time when such a proposal is most likely to receive favourable consideration,” he concluded in his reply.