THE CONTROVERSY over the proposed name for the multi-million Euro bridge that will form the centre-piece of the New Ross by-pass was debated on national airwaves last week.

The Liveline Show, with Joe Duffy, had both Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, from Glenmore, and Cllr. Larry O’Brien, from New Ross Municipal District Council, discussing the matter.

Cllr. Doherty said an upcoming meeting of the local authority in Piltown will have the matter on the agenda while Cllr. O’Brien said the two respective local authorities are due to meet and discuss a range of issues later this month.

The cause of the controversy is the decision by the elected members in New Ross to agree to a proposal to name the new bridge after Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy who was the mother of JFK.

However, when that news broke a number of weeks ago it caused widespread online debate with many people expressing the view that New Ross is already saturated with the Kennedy name and that another title should be given to the bridge – especially in view of the fact that Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy never visited New Ross.

Cllr. O’Brien said he fully supported the proposed name and highlighted that when it was agreed at the June meeting of the local authority “no other alternatives” were given.

He also pointed out the new bridge will cross over the river Barrow close to the Kennedy Homestead in Dunganstown.

However, Cllr. Doherty said consideration should have been given to people on both sides of the Barrow and she expressed confidence that a number of alternative names will be forthcoming when the matter is discussed by the Piltown local authority this month.

Cllr. O’Brien said the fact the by-pass is going ahead is what really matters and said that after 20 years of calling for it elected representatives on both side should be happy that it’s going ahead.