Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy.

My Department has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national road programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts, 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the national development plan.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national road projects from 2021 to 2030, inclusive, as part of the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects that are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others.

As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this has meant that there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2024. However, approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities this year.

Since 2020, approximately €320 million in Exchequer capital funding has been allocated for the national road network in Cork, county and city. This has contributed to the substantial work that has taken place on the national road network in County Cork, as demonstrated with the recently completed upgrade of the Dunkettle Interchange, and the N22 Ballyvourney-to-Macroom project, which was completed late last year.

The N25 Carrigtwohill-to-Midleton project is one of a number of new national roads projects in Cork that were included in the NDP. In 2024, almost €56 million in Exchequer funding was allocated to Cork County Council through TII. This will be used to fund a number of new roads projects, including the M28 project between Cork and Ringaskiddy, which will improve freight access to the port and allow for the redevelopment of lands in the city. In addition, funding has been provided for the Mallow relief road and the N25 Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypasses. This will remove through traffic from town and village centres, improving the lives of local residents and reducing journey times. Furthermore, development of the N-M20 project between Cork and Limerick is ongoing, and a preliminary business case is expected to be presented in the coming months. This project would provide increased opportunities for developing the Atlantic economic corridor. It would also benefit a number of towns and villages in Cork, including Charleville, Buttevant and Mallow. Funding is also provided for the protection and renewal of the national road network in the county.

With regard to the current status of the N25 Carrigtwohill-to-Midleton project, technical advisers have completed their assessments of the route options and have determined the preferred solution. Improvements to crossings over this very busy section of the N25 to enhance active travel are being considered as part of the scheme. The project did not receive funding in 2024 but as with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for this project will be kept under review for 2025 and future years, and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII. The project remains very much part of the national development plan.

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