Cork councillor urges new Finance Minister to guarantee funding for Mallow Relief Road 

NORTH Cork Labour councillor Eoghan Kenny has lost no time to write to the newly appointed Finance Minister, Jack Chambers, to seek a funding guarantee for the long-awaited Mallow Relief Road.

According to the Mallow electoral area councillor, the new minister had spoken to the Mallow Relief Road Alliance Group while at the Department of Transport and had indicated that he was positive about getting the project completed.

Earlier this year, the allocation of €300,000 to progress the project towards planning had been met with considerable disappointment, especially as it followed an allocation of just €100,000 last year.

Cork County Council had applied for €1.2m to get the project to the planning stage.

In his email to Minister Chambers, the Labour Party councillor asked directly for an indication on the possibility of extra funding to bring the project to the planning stage by the end of the year.

“This project is of significant importance to the development of Mallow and the northern area of Cork County,” said Mr Kenny.

“Over the past two years, I do believe we can all agree that the minimal funding received for this project has been extremely disappointing, considering the amount requested by Cork County Council was €1.2m.”

Mr Kenny is seeking a ‘direct answer’ to his question and has also copied his email to his Labour Party colleague, Sean Sherlock TD, and the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.