The process saw numerous delays and deadlines missed, with An Bord Pleanála making a final decision on the application this week.

A total of €27 million was announced nationally under scheme which aims to combat dereliction and breathe new life into rural towns and villages.

The works began at two dangerous junctions in the Ardcarne area on the N4 in Roscommon last autumn after years of campaigning by local residents

Safety conditions for the junctions at Cootehall and Croghan off the N4 in north Roscommon have long been a serious concern for local residents

The dangers of the junctions at Cootehall and Croghan were first highlighted on a Facebook page in 2012 by a local group

The Leitrim author is regarded as one of the most important writers of the latter half of the twentieth century.