bing ▁l ane ▁with ▁significant ▁additional ▁costs . ▁ ▁The ▁other ▁alternative ▁considered ▁by ▁the ▁Ste ering ▁Committee ▁was ▁an ▁opening ▁span ▁bridge . ▁ ▁While ▁this ▁solution ▁would ▁avoid ▁the ▁r amp ▁problem ▁of ▁a ▁high - level ▁bridge , ▁traffic ▁would ▁halt ▁whenever ▁the ▁bridge ▁had ▁to ▁open . ▁ ▁Sh ipping ▁volumes ▁into ▁C ork ' s ▁port ▁area ▁was ▁rising ▁stead ily ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁which ▁meant ▁that ▁an ▁opening ▁span ▁bridge ▁was ▁becoming ▁less ▁attract ive ▁every ▁year . ▁ ▁A ▁sw orn ▁Public ▁In qu iry ▁into ▁C ork ▁Corporation ' s ▁application ▁for ▁a ▁" bridge ▁order " ▁providing ▁for ▁a ▁two - lane ▁tunnel ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁The ▁required ▁inspect or ' s ▁report ▁was ▁submitted ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁to ▁the ▁then ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Environment , ▁P ád ra ig ▁F lyn n . ▁At ▁that ▁point , ▁the ▁report ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁minister ' s ▁des k ▁for ▁some ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁formal ▁reason ▁for ▁this ▁was ▁that ▁the ▁minister ▁" dec ided ▁that ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁the ▁timing ▁of ▁the ▁crossing ▁should ▁be ▁considered ▁in ▁the ▁bro ader ▁context ▁of ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁by ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁propos als ▁for ▁the ▁medium ▁to ▁long ▁term ▁development ▁of ▁national ▁roads . ▁In ▁this ▁context ▁the ▁oper ational ▁programme ▁for ▁roads ▁ ▁… ▁ ▁includes ▁the ▁proposal ▁for ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁the ▁down stream