COUNCILLORS have welcomed funding commitments for the long-awaited Enniskillen Bypass project. 

A total of £16.2m capital funding, agreed by the Executive, alongside the approved early 
release of £12.5m from the Mid South West City and Growth Deal, has been approved for the delivery of the infrastructure project.

Prior to this announcement, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council wrote to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to ask that funding was prioritised. 

Sinn Féin councillor, Dermot Browne, described funding commitments as "hugely positive".

"This project has been delayed for a long time and people were wondering if we would ever get bypass delivered," Councillor Browne said. "When Conor Murphy came into the office of the economy, he stated that regional development was going to be a priority.

"The delivery of funding for the Enniskillen bypass shows the delivery of that commitment.

"This is a positive outcome for Enniskillen and Co Fermanagh as a whole. It's a shame that for the last two years we have no minister in place to make this vital intervention, but we are there now anyway."

Council chairperson, Thomas O'Reilly also welcomed funding allocations. 

"It is very welcome news that this long awaited scheme is going to get momentum," Councillor O'Reilly said. "We are seeing that work is already taking place, and we are going to see more work over the next period of time leading to construction of it.

"That is all welcome, but we have to be very conscious that in Fermanagh, we are one of the only counties  with no motorway and tiny bit of dual carriageway.

"This could be remedied with a dual carriageway from Ballygawley down, which would improve access into Fermanagh."