Taoiseach expects construction on Cork's M28 to begin 'very quickly'

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he expects construction to begin “very quickly” on the main €206m section of the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy motorway.

Mr Martin was speaking ahead of the official signing by Cork County Council of its contract with Bam to build the section of motorway from Bloomfield interchange on the N40 South Ring Road to Barnahely, near the Port of Cork.

Work, which is expected to get underway in the coming months, is expected to be completed by summer 2028.

Funded by the Department of Transport through Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the new motorway is intended to support the ongoing development of the Port of Cork’s deep-water facilities in Ringaskiddy, facilitating the relocation of port activities from Tivoli.

Mr Martin noted that the project had been 20 years in the making, and, once completed, would offer significant road safety and environmental enhancement for the area.

“In terms of the port, it’s been a longstanding concern in terms of Ringaskiddy, and logistics and goods coming from the port (getting) to the shelves across the country,” he said.

“Cork Port is one of the key ports in the country and it needs a proper egress from the port and access to the port from the road, from a logistics perspective.

“This will now give it that, and it will also free up a lot communities like Shanbally along the route, it’ll create opportunities for active travel on the old road for cycling and for walkways, which will also be very beneficial to quite a lot of local communities.” Transport minister Darragh O’Brien added that the contract signing represented a multi-million investment in the region and “a further example of the Government’s commitment to improving road, rail and public transport infrastructure across the country”.

The signing ceremony at Cork County Hall was attended by the Taoiseach, transport minister, and Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central and minister of state with responsibility for rural transport.

Mr Buttimer said he looked forward to seeing the positive impact the development would have upon completion in the near future.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said the contract signing marked a major step forward in delivering essential infrastructure that would benefit not just Cork, but Ireland’s broader economic and transport ambitions.

“The timing aligns with European Maritime Day 2025, which is being hosted in Cork this week and is a fitting parallel underlining the M28’s role in reinforcing Cork’s maritime and logistics infrastructure,” he said.

Alasdair Henderson, executive director of Bam Ireland described the planned motorway as “a transformative project” that would, he said, enhance regional connectivity, support economic growth, and strengthen Ireland’s role within the European transport network.