A group campaigning against a proposed highway through Tipperary South aims to turn the by-election called yesterday into a "road referendum".
The N8 Action Group (NAG) says if it does not receive support for its campaign from existing candidates, it may contest the election itself. In that event its chairman, the former IFA president, Mr Joe Rea, would be a likely candidate. Mr Rea said yesterday this was just one of the options open to the group.
Its first objective, he said, was to get support from the declared candidates. NAG says the planned dual carriageway would destroy one of Ireland's most scenic areas, the valley between the Galtee Mountains on one side, and the Knockmealdowns and Comeraghs on the other. The road is one of five strategic corridors due to be built by 2006 under the National Development Plan. NAG, which handed in 1,100 petitions to the Tipperary South County Council this week, wants the existing N8 to be upgraded.
The road issue has the potential to be the most divisive of the campaign. Mr Rea said each of the candidates would be asked to state their position on it and their replies would be carried in a NAG newsletter. The group is to hold a meeting of its general committee of about 60 people in Cahir next Tuesday to decide what the "bottom line" will be in terms of commitments from candidates.
If the group did decide to run a candidate, it would not necessarily be him, Mr Rea said. "It would be a matter totally for the committee."
