James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Port of Cork officials were complimentary of the Government’s engagement. However, they stated that there was a great urgency around the M28 project. I wish to move on to road projects, as it is important that we discuss them. The M28 project was one of the barriers to what the Minister just described. It remains so. The officials did not knock the Government in any shape or form, but they acknowledged the problem. If the road is delivered, there will be a shift in facilities from Tivoli out to the Ringaskiddy site. Subsequent phases of development will then need to take place in Tivoli, which people are ready to do. It was worth highlighting this issue.

The Minister knows that my next topic is an emotive one in my constituency, and it was raised with him during his recent visit to east Cork. It is the Midleton-Youghal scheme, or as locals know it, the Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypasses. There has been a major congestion issue.

People often speak about the need for bypasses and road investment. I know the Minister understands the need to bypass congested villages. Much of this is intercity traffic. It is haulage and cars going to and from boats and ferries from Cork and, indeed, Wexford as well. We are very much pushing this as quickly as we can.

I was a little bit concerned that Adare seemed to be getting the immediate prioritisation from Cabinet for very understandable reasons. I would ask why we have been waiting almost 11 months from when the road funding was announced in early February for the sign-off of yet another feasibility study, which is obviously required through the statutory steps. However, 11 months is a bit ridiculous. We need to get this project out and a design consultant appointed in order to allow it to advance. I do not want to go down the road of sending freedom of information, FOI, requests to the Minister's Department to try to establish what is really going on with it. However, I am getting to my wits' end in terms of why it has taken so long for that to be advanced. Obviously, I am conscious that we could have an election next year. We are definitely going to have an election before March 2025. The public deserve and demand progress, as do I as their representative. Could the Minister please give me some insight as to where that project is at?