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

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue for Tipperary town and more generally. I think he is correct in his recollections that the then Minister, Eamon Ryan, indicated that he was positively disposed to the bypass and that he preferred bypasses as opposed to lengthy motorways, but progress has not been made so far to the degree people would want. We will certainly be considering this in the context of the national development plan. Our experiences with earlier bypasses such as Macroom bypass environmentally- and sustainability-wise has been huge. It has been just transformative for people in Macroom, Ballyvourney and all that area. It has changed people's lives as well as improving economic connectivity. Broadly speaking, we favour this. The one potential major constraint is the financial framework and so on that we have to govern this but I hear the Deputy loud and clear.

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