Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The national development plan review process is due to finish on 19 February. The national development plan currently includes the N24 road from Limerick to Waterford. It is being done in two phases. The first phase is from Cahir to Limerick Junction, which is approximately 35 km in length, and a consultation process with the public representatives has already taken place. The second phase is from Cahir to Waterford city and is 60 km long. There will be a meeting about this on 26 February with all public representatives from all the county councils involved - Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford and Limerick. The road is in the national development plan at present, and it is at the design stage and is funded up until the planning stage.

However, due to recent announcements by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, there is a level of fear in all the local authorities, but particularly in Tipperary County Council, that this project might not remain in the national development plan. Will the Leader invite the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to the House to give clarity and reassurance that this road project is a priority for him and the Government? The Minister is on record as saying last year that he saw the sense in having new road infrastructure between Cahir and Limerick. Obviously, given that Rosslare will be used more frequently post Brexit, the main road from Limerick to Waterford and on to Rosslare is seen as a priority. We have been in this situation previously in Tipperary. About ten or 15 years ago we were brought up the mountain with a design stage, only for it to collapse. It is understandable, therefore, that there is fear among the public. Certainly, the public representatives and councillors in all the local authorities, as well as the chief executives of those local authorities, should be given the reassurance that the work that is taking place at present can continue, with the assurance that this road is a priority for the Government in the future.