Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The initial project appraisal to upgrade the R624 Cobh Road was submitted to my Department in 2019, with an estimated cost of over €100 million at that time and possible staged implementation.

Since then, work has been undertaken with regard to strategic assessment and project outline.

Cork County Council recently commenced the tender process to appoint a consultant to develop preliminary designs, environmental assessments, and technical documentation to progress the project through planning and public consultation phases.

In 2026, the Council was allocated €250,000 for the development of the Preliminary Business Case.

In accordance with Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, as amended, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority. Work on such roads is funded from Councils' own resources, supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of work to be funded is a matter for local authorities.

For 2026, €718 million was allocated, through State road grants, for the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, with approximately 90% of this funding allocated to road maintenance and renewal and the remainder directed towards new roads, bridges, and road realignments. This total allocation will facilitate an increase in funding of €26 million this year for road protection and renewal work.

In 2026, Cork County Council was allocated a total of €78,060,500. Of this, €74,745,500 was for the protection and renewal of regional and local roads and €3,315,000 was for new roads and road improvement.

Any new road project that seeks State funding is assessed by my Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects proposed by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines and my Department's Transport Appraisal Framework. Given the limited funding available for regional and local road improvement works it is important that local authorities prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility.