Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

700. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of progress of the M20 motorway from Cork to Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33095/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

​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 national road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

The Capital Plan published in September 2015 outlined proposed transport investment priorities to 2022.  The transport element of the Capital Plan did provide for some targeted investment in a number of new projects in the Munster region including the N8/N25 Dunkettle Interchange and the N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom schemes. In addition, a number of other schemes targeted at removing bottlenecks and upgrading port access, will commence subject to necessary consents.  It was not possible to include the M20 in the Capital Plan as the scale of investment required to deliver it was not affordable within the available capital envelope.  

As regards the possibility of additional funding within the Plan period, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has commenced the Capital Plan review. While there is a strong case for additional funding for the transport sector, there are a multitude of possible national, regional and local projects around the country, the cost of which far exceed available funding. Pending the consideration of progressing a Cork to Limerick link as a part of the Capital Plan Review I have agreed to TII spending about €1 million on preliminary work associated with such a scheme.

The final decisions on the Capital Plan Review allocations are, however, matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Government as a whole.