Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney has held a private meeting with Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Seán Canney, to discuss a range of pressing transport and infrastructure issues affecting the county.
The meeting took place alongside Minister Canney’s official launch of the Irish Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft at Shannon Airport and provided an opportunity to raise key concerns, including long waiting times for driving tests, underfunding of national secondary roads, challenges with the Community Involvement Scheme, and the allocation of Active Travel funding to rural areas.
Driving Tests
Deputy Cooney highlighted the growing delays for Category B car driving tests across Clare. Between June 2024 and June 2025, waiting times rose in all three county centres, from 14 to 21 weeks in Ennis, 12 to 17 weeks in Shannon, and 13 to 14 weeks in Kilrush. While recent figures show some improvement, with waiting times now at 19 weeks in Ennis, 14 weeks in Shannon, and 10 weeks in Kilrush, Deputy Cooney stressed that more dedicated testers are urgently needed.
He also raised concerns over the limited implementation of the Road Safety Authority’s Action Plan, which introduced extended testing hours on weekday evenings, Saturdays, and bank holidays. Between 22 May and 9 July 2025, only one bank holiday weekend had tests in Kilrush and only three Saturdays saw activity in Shannon. During this period, 600 driving tests were completed, but missed operating days could have allowed for an additional 469 tests.
National Secondary Roads
Deputy Cooney also discussed the underfunding of Clare’s 184 kilometres of national secondary roads, the fifth largest network in the country. Under the recently announced Capital Investment Programme, the county received just €408,000, mostly for minor works such as roundabouts, junctions, and pedestrian crossings, with no funding for pavement repair. He highlighted the urgent need for investment along the Ennis to Kilrush route, the principal artery for west Clare, noting that short-term works are estimated at €2 million while a full upgrade would cost between €5 million and €10 million.
Community Involvement Scheme
Deputy Cooney called for a 15 percent increase in funding for the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) to prevent backlogs and proposed a review of the contribution system to introduce a cap on contributions for public roads similar to the Local Improvement Scheme, creating a fairer balance between public and private roads.
Active Travel Funding
Deputy Cooney ALSO urged a review of Active Travel funding to ensure it supports smaller rural settlements as well as urban centres. He stressed the importance of footpath upgrades and accessibility improvements in villages to enhance walkability and inclusion.
“I want to thank Minister of State Canney for engaging in a productive and informative meeting and for reaffirming his commitment to securing the resources Clare needs to address transport and infrastructure challenges,” added Deputy Cooney.
Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Sean Canney, and Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney pictured ahead of their meeting in Shannon.