€100m funding for major Cork road projects - including €100k for Northern Ring Road
The N25 Midleton to Youghal (Castlemartyr and Killeagh Bypasses) has received €800,000 in funding. Picture Denis Minihane.
More than €100m in funding has been confirmed for seven major road projects in Cork city and county, including some funding for Cork’s long-awaited Northern Ring Road.
There had been speculation in recent days that the road, formally known as the Cork City Northern Transport Project, was being delayed but it has been included in the funding allocations for national roads projects announced earlier today by the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
The project has been allocated €100,000 for this year, which was described by TII as "designed to meet current project commitments".
It is envisaged that the Northern Ring Road would link the M8 Cork to Dublin motorway with the planned M20 Cork to Limerick motorway and the South Ring Road near Ballincollig.
Original plans to develop a Northern Ring Road in Cork extend as far back as 2004.
Two Cork National Roads projects which are currently under or close to construction have been allocated funding for this year. This includes the N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom and the N8/N40 Dunkettle Interchange.
The N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom has been allocated €39 million and the N8/N40 Dunkettle Interchange has been allocated €41.5 million.
Funding has also been allocated for 2023 to the following four Cork projects which are at an earlier stage in the development project.
This includes the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy (€19m) N/M20 Cork to Limerick (€5m), N72/73 Mallow Relief Road (€100,000), and the N25 Midleton to Youghal (Castlemartyr and Killeagh Bypasses) which has received €800,000 in funding.
Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor who sought assurances from the then Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath, and the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan over the Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypasses in October 2021, said the funding for the N25 Midleton to Youghal Scheme will allow “significant” progress to be made.
"I’m delighted to see the bypasses being prioritised. Locals need these bypasses. Castlemartyr and Killeagh are the last two villages on the N25 route from Cork to Rosslare and the daily constant congestion needs to end."
The Cork East TD continued:
"This will allow the public and potential bidders for the contract to construct the road and to see what route options are available after which a route selection process will take place.
"The scheme will then move to a public consultation where objections may be raised before the project moves to the construction phase when planning has been approved.
"This funding marks a hugely positive step forward for the project. It will allow significant progress to be made in the coming months,” he added.
Funding has also been allocated this year to the Midleton to Youghal Greenway.
Overall there was an allocation of €554 million to local authorities through Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for national roads and greenways in 2023.
The Department of Transport is providing €491m of Exchequer capital funds for national roads to local authorities which will see allocations for 34 major projects across the country.
An allocation of €34.85 million is being provided for national road maintenance.
The 2023 funding allocations are made having regard to the National Development Plan 2021-2030 (NDP), which balances investment in transport against other priorities of the Government over the lifetime of the plan.
Separately, funding of approximately €63 million through TII’s Greenway Programme will see the ongoing development of around 70 Greenway projects around the country.
The funding will see construction continue on a number of projects which will be completed in 2023, with other projects moving through the planning and design stage.
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