Anti-motorway campaigners were accused yesterday by Kilkenny County Council of circulating misinformation and causing "needless worry".
The council said that while proposed new roads would affect farmers and a limited number of householders, many of the benefits they would bring were being ignored by opponents. The criticism was rejected by the Campaign for Sensible Transport (Cam-T), a recently formed umbrella body for groups opposed to existing motorway plans.
Both the Dublin-Cork (N8) and Dublin-Waterford (N9) motorways or dual carriageways, to be built under the National Development Plan, will pass through Co Kilkenny.
Vocal campaigns have been organised in the county against both projects. Mr John McCormack, the council's outgoing roads project co-ordinator, said a "large amount of erroneous information" was being circulated about the roads plans.
In particular, it was being claimed the new highways would divide local communities.
In reality the existing road network would be maintained virtually intact and would be facilitated by under and over bridges, so people would no longer have to cross busy roads as they now did.
Campaigners had demanded that motorways be abandoned in favour of upgrading existing roads, but this was not feasible and would be far more disruptive, said Mr McCormack. On the Cullahill to Cashel section of the N8, for example, 63 houses would have to be demolished to cater for an upgrade. By contrast, the recently announced preferred route for a new dual-carriageway on this stretch required the demolition of only three houses. He also rejected campaigners' claims that the road routes were predetermined and the consultation process inadequate.
However, Mr John Fitzgerald of Cam-T said many existing roads would become cul-de-sacs and people would have to drive up to five miles to get to motorway interchanges. Communities would inevitably be divided by the introduction of 100-metrewide roadways bringing visual, noise, light and air pollution.
Two major road projects in Co Limerick costing a total of £86 million were officially opened yesterday. The Adair to Limerick road cost £66 million. It is nearly half of an overall scheme which will enable traffic from Tralee, Cork and Dublin to bypass Limerick city. The second project is the Croom bypass which cost £20 million.
