'Infrastructure-wise, it’ll be a very significant positive': €450m for Cork to Ringaskiddy motorway

Up to €450m is expected to be allocated for the M28 Cork-Ringaskiddy motorway, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying that the project’s anticipated approval by Cabinet is a “significant positive” for the southern region.

Transport minister Darragh O’Brien is expected to bring a memo to Cabinet on the project today, recommending approval of the main contract, which secured planning permission from An Bord Pleanála in June of 2018.

Speaking to The Echo yesterday, Mr Martin said that he is happy to see progress being made on the long-awaited project.

“Infrastructure-wise, it’ll be a very significant positive,” said Mr Martin.

“It’s been a long time [coming], in terms of going through the various planning stages and oral hearings. It’s a huge investment into the Cork area — we’re talking about hundreds of millions involved here — and it’s good to see it brought to a conclusion.”

Jerry Buttimer, minister of state at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Transport, welcomed the memo being presented to Cabinet today, describing the project as “an extremely important infrastructure development for Cork”.

“It highlights the importance of the Port of Cork moving downstream, the development of the Cork city docklands, and the easing of traffic congestion along the M28, in particular for residents in Carrigaline and Ringaskiddy.

“[The M28] is the biggest infrastructure capital development project on roads in Cork at the moment, and the allocation of funding by Government underlines the importance of transport through Cork. The decision to fund and complete the project will see a commitment approaching €400m, [and] this is added to the €50m we committed the week before last on the national roads funding announcement.”

Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan said that the Cabinet’s expected approval of the M28 motorway should kickstart a slew of traffic-management measures for residents in the Maryborough, Mount Oval and Rochestown areas.

“We need traffic-management fundings to follow suit to the Cabinet approval this week to reduce volumes and speeds on the Maryborough Hill section and Rochestown Road section, with as many options as possible,” he said.

Mr Buttimer said: “We’ve recently allocated money to county councils on the roads programme... It’s worth recognising that just recently we announced a furnishing of investment into regional and local roads [which saw] €94m [allocated] to Cork city and Cork county.”