Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I will ask Ms Fitzpatrick for an update on the N24. As people know, I live in Clonmel. The project is divided into two sections. The first is Cahir to Limerick, which is progressing to detailed design, and hopefully a planning application will be lodged by the middle of next year. We have come to a complete standstill on the Cahir to Waterford section, particularly the proposed routes in terms of solving the issue of the significant traffic passing through Clonmel. On the bypass of Clonmel, there are 20,000 vehicle movements per day. For reasons not clear to me, a decision has been made not to progress the Cahir to Waterford section from phase 2 to that detailed design and planning phase, the same stage that the other section of the N24 is at. Perhaps Ms Fitzpatrick would give an update as to where we are and whether we can move forward next year on the Cahir to Waterford section. I am particularly concerned about the impact the lack of progress is having on Clonmel and for us, at the local level, in respect of the ambition and vision we have for the town, which is so constrained by the lack of progress on this key infrastructure project. I know there are other elements further down in Kilsheelan and Carrick-on-Suir, but it is the proposed two outer link roads for Clonmel that I am anxious to see progress.