Kerry slug forces the rerouting of the Macroom bypass.
Meet the slug that stopped a motorway in its tracks.
A little known creature has crawled its way into the spotlight after forcing a rerouting of a section of a major new roadway linking Cork and Kerry.
The rarity of the Kerry slug means a three kilometre planned section of the long awaited Macroom bypass will have to be redrawn. This particularly Kerry slug is only found in the south west of Ireland and on the Iberian peninsula.
Conor Kelleher of the Irish Wildlife Trust says that it's a very nice slug as slugs go. The presence of this rare slug in the Cascade Wood means that a three kilometre section of the proposed bypass around Macroom to Kerry is to be rerouted. The Irish Wildlife Trust along with local environmentalists successfully petitioned Europe to save the woods.
Heritage specialist Ted Hook says that anyone with a notion of compassion must be thrilled that a new little habitat has been saved forever.
People in Macroom still want the road completed and are pushing for the National Roads Authority (NRA) to buy land to complete the route. Mayor of Macroom Pat O'Connell says that the cost of completing the road is pittance and should be completed.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 23 October 2007. The reporter is Jennie O'Sullivan.
