Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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663. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding plans for a new motorway between counties Cork and Limerick; the steps that have already been taken; the next steps in the process; the funding that is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48166/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Because of the national financial position, there have been very large reductions in roads expenditure over the past number of years. The reality is that the available funds do not match the amount of work which could be undertaken. For this reason it has not been possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects and the main focus has to be on the maintenance and repair of roads and this will remain the position in the coming years. The scope for progressing new major road improvement projects will be very much dependent on the availability of funding in the future as the economy recovers further.

In 2011 my predecessor indicated to the NRA that it should withdraw its application to An Bord Pleanála for the M20 Cork to Limerick route. I understand Minister Varadkar was concerned that to proceed any further with the scheme to build the M20 would have exposed the NRA to significant costs arising from a consequent requirement to purchase the CPO'd land within a limited timeframe. This would have had to be done without the reasonable prospect of proceeding to the construction stage quickly. Given the scale of the project I would have to consider very carefully whether the basis exists that would give confidence that a project of the scale of the M20 would be affordable or achievable and thereby justify commencing the project through planning again.