Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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98. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the progress to date regarding the N20-M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51598/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister give an update on the progress of the M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project and make a statement on the matter?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the question and his ongoing advocacy on the need for the N20-M20 Cork-Limerick motorway. He and I share an urgent need to have this road completed. I wish he and I were not in the House again discussing this. It is a project of gargantuan importance.

As Members will know, it involves 80 km of refurbishment and, at its core, the project will address many of the road safety concerns on the existing N20. I also commend Councillor Liam Madden on his work on this project. In addition, the project is aimed at improving connectivity between Cork and Limerick, increasing journey time reliability for passenger and freight traffic and improving the economic heartbeat of the region. As Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, I know it is also about relieving congestion in towns such as Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville and improving the quality of life for residents in those towns.

The project team issued updates in June 2024 and June 2025 to inform all stakeholders of progress to date and proposed next steps. Earlier this year the update provided further detail on the refinement of the route corridor and the impact on landowners. It also detailed junction designs, plans for transport hubs and the active travel infrastructure that is part of the project. A preferred route has been selected and the project team is currently engaging in the design and evaluation phase. At this juncture I understand that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, expects to submit a preliminary business case to the Department of Transport in the second half of next year. Given the scale of expenditure required, the project will require the approval of the Government at that stage before submission of statutory documents to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will follow thereafter.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The big challenge we have is the growth in businesses and in the number of people having to travel to work in Limerick, Mallow or Cork and the resulting huge volume of traffic on this road. The road was fine 50 years ago, in particular from Cork to Mallow and Mallow to the Limerick boundary, but it is now past its sell-by date. It is important that the project be expedited. For instance, I travel to Mallow to get a 6.05 a.m. train to Dublin on a Tuesday morning and at 5.30 a.m., the volume of traffic against me is one long line from Blarney to Mallow. I am therefore asking for more definitive dates for when we will go through the planning process. The other issue is that a lot of land is totally locked up now-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. You will be coming back in.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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-----because there is still indecision about the final route.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I agree with Deputy Burke that, despite the challenges outlined, the growth necessitates that this road be expedited. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I in the Department of Transport, working with An Taoiseach and other members of Government, will do our damnedest to expedite the project delivery for this road. I fully concur with Deputy Burke. I travel that road regularly. The road was fine 50 years ago, but it is not any more for a variety of reasons, such as safety, connectivity and the congestion in the towns, as I mentioned earlier. I will certainly work with everyone to decrease the project's time. Equally, Deputy Burke raised another point we need to address, the land that is locked up. That is about the economic prosperity and further growth of the region from an economic point of view. I will try to get further information for Deputy Burke from TII about the question he raised on the timelines for the project.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Ryder Cup will take place in two years' time and work has already started on the roads there. It will have an effect on the area because a huge number of tourists will come to the country during that period. For them to see the road infrastructure without any evidence that we are trying to improve it will not be helpful. This issue needs to be prioritised because of the number of people who will travel to Ireland and to that region during that period.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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On the Ryder Cup, I congratulate the European team, including Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Deputy Burke is right. We are committed to the Adare piece, but the Cork to Limerick part is equally important. I am confident that-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I might have counted wrong.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I am not sure we will get there for the Ryder Cup, but it needs to be-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thought we had finished that question.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Gabh mo leithscéal.