Dáil debates

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Topical Issue Debate

Road Projects

7:05 pm

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for making himself available to take this issue. Will he seriously consider, as part of the capital programme, which I presume will be announced when we come back after the summer recess, funding the N24 to motorway standard? This road connects Limerick and Waterford. This is a very valid proposal and given where we are with regard to the national spatial strategy and the national planning framework, which, coincidentally, I kicked off myself a couple of years ago, this would fit right into the plans and requirements set out in them. It also fits into the plans set out in the submission from County Tipperary as part of that and also submissions and plans from the south east. The local authorities of Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny have written to the Minister and made a submission on this motorway proposal.

We need the motorway in order to open up the south of the country. Not only would it link Cork, Limerick, Waterford and all the towns in between, it would link the ports of Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick, Foynes and Cork. Based on my knowledge as a former MEP, I think there is potential for funding from the Trans-European Transport Networks, TEN-T, programme because this would link up all the ports and in doing so, meet all its requirements.

The current N24 is substandard. It links many towns in Tipperary, including Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary town, with many others. It has slow journey times. It would be a game-changer because it would link up the whole southern region. It would also open up Shannon Airport as an access point. Furthermore, it would create the possibility of opening the M8 and linking it with the M7.

The Minister has decisions to make on capital funding which will be tight. He will be under pressure in regard to requirements in Dublin, which are also all valid. I was in his Department a number of years ago when similar decisions had to be made and when our envelope was much smaller.

Will the Minister consider doing this motorway? If he cannot do the whole motorway, will he consider doing a component of it? The cost associated with linking up Limerick with the M8, for example, would come in at €500 million or thereabouts. The cost associated with doing the Cork to Limerick road would be much higher and that is a very worthy project in its own right, but the Minister is obviously going to have to fit the projects within the envelope he has.

This is a fantastic project that would tick all the boxes in regard to the Action Plan for Jobs, the plans for opening up rural Ireland and regionality. IDA Ireland and those looking to bring investment into this country would be very excited if the Minister could go some way to funding this road to bring it to motorway standard, whether by upgrading the road or, probably more likely, building a new road. In the coming months will the Minister consider this favourably, if at all possible?

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