Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, like Deputy Burke and I, will be familiar with and recognise the importance of the N20 project. It is critical and it is lacking. It is the deficit in the infrastructure connecting the western corridor. People rightly complain from many perspectives but, from an economic perspective, it is absolutely imperative that we advance the motorway and that Cork-Limerick road.

Equally, I concur with the Deputy in the context of the importance of infrastructure being improved in the Mallow area. I suppose it is the gateway to many areas in the Munster region. Given its location, as the Deputy rightly said, Mallow has substantial volumes of north, south, east and west traffic. It is important that we alleviate the traffic congestion and allow for that flow and enhanced connectivity between Cork, Limerick and Galway. We have seen the benefit of it in terms of Galway to Limerick and I will certainly be pushing the officials in the NTA and the Department with regard to the issues we have raised here tonight. I thank Deputy Burke for his work and his advocacy in working with Councillor Liam Madden on this particular project. This is a critical piece, dovetailing with the Cork-Limerick motorway.

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