Paul Bradford (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me the opportunity to raise this important matter. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, back to his alma mater. I am disappointed for once that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is not going to reply on my behalf because I will be expressing the view that the decision to annul, in the short term at least, the N20 project appeared to be a decision made by a Department of foreign affairs rather than a more national Department. People in the Cork and Limerick region are bemused, surprised but, above all, bitterly disappointed that the news in regard to the Cork-Limerick motorway currently appears so negative.

No one appreciates more than I the economic difficulties and, to some degree, the crisis still facing the country, and I know every euro and certainly every €1 billion must be spent with great caution. However, this project, which is urgently required from a regional balance point of view, a job creation point of view and a safety point of view, has been on the planning shelves for quite some time. It was back in 2011 when the Minister's predecessor, again due to the economic difficulties then facing the country and the new Government, took the decision to put the project into cold storage. As the economy begins to develop and grow, as the Government begins to work on projects such as the Action Plan for Jobs, as the Minister, Deputy Bruton, talks about regional development, as the prospect of building new industrial sites across the country improves and as regional growth strategies are being considered, it is urgent that this idea of a new Cork-Limerick motorway be put back on track, if the House will excuse the pun.

The two very large centres of population, Cork and Limerick, could be brought much closer together from a transport perspective if this project was delivered. This would be a major boost to the towns of Mallow, Buttevant, Charleville and Macroom, and places like Cork Airport would come back on the agenda very much strengthened. For those reasons and much more, this is something the Minister has to reflect deeply upon. I have to concede, and there is no point saying otherwise, that the Minister has to be cautious in the expenditure of moneys. However, it is a question of value for money and what is the long-term positive consequence of putting this project back on track.

We have seen, in the course of the past 12 to 18 months, how Dublin and the east coast region are again moving very much ahead of the country. While much of that is positive, from a housing or rent perspective, however, the Dublin and east coast imbalance must be addressed. If we look at regions like Cork, Limerick and Galway, and the towns in-between, and focus as much development as possible on those regions, not only is it good for each region but it is good for the east coast region as well.

I know the Minister will be meeting in the coming weeks with councillors and management in Limerick and Cork, and the various chambers of commerce in the region are also deeply concerned and disappointed. If we want to ensure that the economic "recovery", which is the buzzword at present, is balanced, regional, fair and of long-term sustainable value to the country, and not Celtic tiger-like, we must plan for the projects which are needed, will save lives, will improve access and will give our required balanced regional growth. I am disappointed with the decision the Minister took recently but every decision, I suppose, is up for review. As times change and as recovery continues, it is essential that we get a positive signal from the Minister on this matter. There is also, perhaps from a more parochial perspective of mine, the question of a new relief road for Mallow. While the major project would cost €1 billion, the relief road for Mallow would cost €14 million or €15 million. I would ask for the Minister's comments on that.

We need to reflect on the time for construction of some of these big projects. There have been fairly dramatic improvements over the past ten or 15 years but when I think of the Cork-Mallow road, it appeared futuristic when it was planned in the 1970s and started being constructed in the 1980s as a 20-mile stretch. From my personal perspective, I drove on the first stretch of that road in a school bus in leaving certificate year. By the time that short 20-mile stretch was officially opened, I had been twice elected to Dáil Éireann. We are very slow on the delivery of these projects. Obviously, because of slow development, the costs increase. When this project was mentioned, in 2010-2011, we were talking not about €1 billion but about €750 million. Apart from trying to get the green light, we must look not only at this road but at all motorway developments and at trying to expedite the development phases and the construction methodology because delays cost money.

In the case of the Cork-Limerick route, to save lives, save money and bring real growth to the region, Cork, Limerick and all the towns in between, I hope the Minister will try to reflect positively not on what I am saying but on what everybody in the region, including all the politicians across all the parties, are saying. I am not expecting a U-turn from the Minister today but I ask him to reflect deeply on this serious decision for the southern part of the country.