Construction of highways in Ireland, including the highly controversial Ballyshannon by-pass in Donegal, is being held up, according to reports attributing the delay to lack of government funding. Due to have begun this year, work on the project which is opposed by many residents, has been, to use an Irish colloquialism, put on the long finger.

It is but one of many such projects being put on hold. Others include by-passes of Carrickmacross, Monaghan, Castleblayney, Cashel, and Ennis.

Meantime the estimated cost of the Ballyshannon by-pass has increased from 41.36 million euros to 57.3 million euros. Given the well-known tendency for actual costs to exceed estimates, the final figure may be much more.

No one knows when construction will start, and residents who will be most grievously affected may yet have the justice of their case acknowledged, and the proposed route changed. The 12 million euro increase in estimated cost could easily take into account the desired change had work begun when originally scheduled.

If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

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