Government accused of neglecting northside after omission of key projects in pre-budget document

THE Government has been accused of neglecting the northside, following the omission of any mention of a northern ring road or north-side campus for either University College Cork or Munster Technological University in a new document of Government infrastructural projects planned between next year and 2031.

Timelines and budgets relating to a number of Cork projects including the Cork-Limerick M20 and Cork to Ringaskiddy M28 upgrades, the building of the Cork University Business School on the banks of the Lee in the city centre, the Lower Lee Flood Relief Project as well as a major housing development in the Docklands, were published in a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform document published last week in advance of intensifying Budget 2024 preparations.

According to Cork North Central Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould, the omission of both the Northern Ring Road or northside campus left him and the communities north of the Lee with a sense of ‘deep disappointment’.

“There’s deep disappointment on the northside when they’re looking at these announcements when they see there’s nothing in there about the Northern Ring Road which is a vital piece of infrastructure to take traffic out of residential areas, to promote business and connectivity.

“On top of that there’s deep disappointment as well that, while we welcome the proposed investment into UCC, it’s great to see, but the call for a northside campus, there’s no funding for that.”

Deputy Gould said that the Northern Ring Road would be a benefit to the whole of Cork city - if the South Ring Road is backed up, because of an accident in the Jack Lynch Tunnel, the Northern Ring Road would ensure that traffic could be diverted elsewhere.

Northside campus 

In terms of the proposal for a north side campus for either MTU or UCC, the TD said that this had to be a priority in light of statistics that show a lack of students from the northside going to third level.

The Sinn Féin TD said he and his Sinn Féin colleagues, Higher Education spokesperson Mairéad Farrell TD and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD, the Education spokesperson, had held meetings with MTU recently to discuss the options with them for a north side campus, bearing in mind that MTU has campuses across Cork city and in Tralee.

Mallow Relief Road 

Meanwhile, Labour’s Seán Sherlock TD, the Mallow-based Cork East TD, was particularly disappointed that while the proposed and long-demanded Mallow Relief Road was mentioned in the Prospects document, the project’s timeline as published in the document estimated it wouldn’t begin until 2025 with a completion date in 2028.

He said Government TDs should focus on getting the Mallow Relief Road over the line.

“Media reports suggest that Government TDs are complaining that the Minister for Transport is stopping road projects proceeding, like the Mallow Relief Road with any significant budget line,” said Deputy Sherlock.

“Rather than complain to the media, it would be useful for Government reps to leverage their influence with senior ministers to release funds to allow Mallow Relief Road to proceed.”