Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know this is an issue for which he has advocated for quite some time. Some funding was provided last year to facilitate the progression of those projects. There are huge pressures on the capital budgets because of the inflationary cycle we have experienced. Most road projects now are turning out, after tender, at significantly higher cost than the original estimates of such projects so we have to take that on board. However, I understand the critical need for the Mallow relief road and also the northern distributor road.

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