Mallow 'hopeful' of good news on relief road in next week's Budget

A North Cork Fine Gael councillor has said he is ‘very hopeful’ that there will be good news in next week’s Budget for the ongoing campaign to get a relief road which would divert traffic away from Mallow town centre.

Cllr John Paul O’Shea was speaking to The Echo after a delegation of Fine Gael councillors from North Cork met with Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Simon Coveney to raise their concerns about the delay in delivering the project and press the case for action.

Cllr O’Shea said the meeting was sought as Budget 2024 was approaching and they had noted that the project was included in a Government document listing 50 key infrastructural project to be delivered before 2031. 

The Mallow Relief Road was mentioned in the Prospects 2023-24 document which stated that the project would get underway in 2025 and would be completed by 2028.

“We were bitterly disappointed to have only received €100,000 for the project as part of the Roads Allocation for 2023,” said Cllr O’Shea. 

“The project is effectively on hold now until the Minister for Transport Eamonn Ryan TD allocates enough funding to bring it to the next stage of development.” “We are aware Budget 2024 discussions are underway and it is critical for Mallow and North Cork that we see tangible movements on funding for the Mallow Bypass as part of Budget 2024.” 

The delegation also included Cllrs Tony O’Shea, Liam Madden and Noel McCarthy. They pointed out to Minister Coveney that the Mallow Bypass or Relief Road was listed as a key project for both Cork County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland and was consistent with all objectives of national policy, including active travel.

“The Macroom and Baile Mhúirne bypass will be finished in a few weeks, the Dunkettle interchange is nearly complete – we now want to move onto this key project which is vital for Mallow and the entire north Cork region,” said Cllr O’Shea.

Minister Coveney welcomed the opportunity from the Fine Gael councillors and to get their briefing about the project.

“I’ve listened to their concerns about the need to fund and build the Mallow Bypass Road and I am strongly supportive of their efforts to ensure it is prioritised within Government,” he said.