2026-02-10

I welcome the opportunity to speak this evening on the importance of the N20-M20 motorway project for the Munster region and the urgent need to accelerate progress on its business case, the final design and planning during 2026. For far too long, the N20 corridor between Cork and Limerick has been recognised as one of the most congested, dangerous and inadequate national routes in the country. It is a road that no longer meets the needs of modern Ireland and certainly does not meet the needs of a growing and ambitious Munster region. Every day, thousands of commuters, families, students and businesses depend on this route. They experience long delays, unpredictable journey times and unacceptable safety risks. Communities along the route continue to bear the burden of heavy traffic passing through their towns and villages. This is not sustainable or fair. The delivery of the N20-M20 motorway represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform connectivity between the two largest cities outside of Dublin. It will strengthen the economic links between Cork and Limerick, support balanced regional development and help to unlock the full potential of the Atlantic economic corridor. This project is not just about building a road. It is about building opportunities, creating jobs during construction, attracting inward investment, supporting indigenous enterprise and ensuring that our region can compete nationally and internationally. For rural villages like Ballyhea and New Twopothouse and towns across north Cork such as Charleville, Buttevant and Mallow, improved connectivity will mean better access to education, healthcare, employment and public services. It will mean safer roads, reduced emissions from congestion and improved quality of life. We have seen progress in recent years, and that progress must continue, but now we must move from project design to planning and delivery. This year must be the decisive year for this project. I am calling for a clear and accelerated timeline for the completion of the business case, the final design and the statutory planning process. These stages are essential but they must not become obstacles that bring about unnecessary delays. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in partnership with the Department of Transport and local authorities, must be resourced and empowered to progress this project at pace. We need certainty, transparency and accountability regarding these timelines. Equally, meaningful engagement with landowners, communities and stakeholders must remain at the heart of this process. Progress must be made in a way that is fair, respectful and environmentally responsible. The people of Munster, businesses, farmers, landowners, commuters and families have waited long enough. We cannot afford another five years of reports, reviews and revisions while congestion worsens and opportunities are lost. This Government has rightly committed itself to balanced regional development. The N20-M20 motorway is essential to delivering on that commitment. If we are serious about strengthening regional cities, supporting rural Ireland and easing pressure on the greater Dublin area, we must be serious about delivering this project. I urge the Minister and the Department to make the N20-M20 a top strategic priority in 2026, to set out a clear road map to construction and to provide the funding and the leadership necessary to bring this to fruition. Munster deserves modern, safe and reliable infrastructure. Our people deserve better connectivity, our businesses deserve certainty and our region deserves the opportunity to thrive.

The Deputy is dead right. I thank him for his ongoing support and advocacy concerning the importance of the N20-M20 as a county councillor, as leader of the council and as a new Teachta Dála. He illustrated very clearly here the strategic importance of the road. He is 100% correct. I speak as a Cork person when I say that people have waited far too long. It is the piece that we are missing in our region for a variety of reasons, including safety and economic sustainability. I thank the Deputy for his very thought-provoking address tonight here to the House about this strategically important route, which is a priority for the Government. The proposed project aims to enhance regional accessibility by improving the network connecting the cities of Cork and Limerick but also by improving connections to west Cork and Kerry along with that piece the Deputy spoke about, namely, balanced regional growth, especially in north Cork. The N20-M20 Cork to Limerick project will provide not just better connectivity between the second and third largest cities in the State. The Deputy outlined that towns such as Buttevant, Croom, Charleville, Mallow, Blarney, New Twopothouse and Ballyhea will benefit but it will also address safety and the deficiency on the existing road and will deliver active travel infrastructure along the corridor along with the better opportunities we all want. The N20-M20 road corridor options were progressed by TII with public transport alternatives and rail as comparators. Following this appraisal, TII announced the preferred solution on 20 March 2022. The preferred solution involves building a dual carriageway or motorway along the existing N20 corridor between Cork and Limerick and would use 30% to 40% of the current N20. In the course of arriving at the preferred solution, the project team looked at rail options and highlighted the provision of improved services on the existing rail network as a means of enhancing public transport between Cork and Limerick. The design team is currently engaged in the design and environmental evaluation phase of the project. This will include selecting the type of road in addition to the preparation of the scheme's business case, which is required under the infrastructure guidelines. In June 2024, a briefing took place for public representatives as part of the project team's ongoing engagement process. In considering various options in relation to the delivery of this project, the project team is currently recommending that the scheme should be tolled. However, no final decision has been taken in this regard. The introduction of tolling would be subject to compliance with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines and further statutory approvals. A further project update on 16 June 2025 provided further details, particularly regarding the refined requirements relating to land take. The scheme's preliminary business case is expected to be submitted to the Department of Transport in the second half of this year. Subject to Government approval as is required under the infrastructure guidelines, the submission of the statutory documents for the project to An Coimisiún Pleanála would follow thereafter. TII allocated €4.5 million to Limerick City and County Council to progress the scheme during 2025. Allocations for 2026 will be announced in the near future. I assure the Deputy that I am, as he is, very supportive of this particular project and recognise its importance as we have said, for a variety of reasons, but most importantly from a safety, economic and sustainability point of view. This road needs to be connected. It is that piece that is missing in the connectivity of our country and as two Cork Members and representatives, we understand fully what could happen when this new road is built in terms of the new life it will breathe. The people of that area deserve for this road to be delivered expeditiously. I thank the Deputy for his ongoing work and support and for being a long-time champion of the road.

I thank the Minister of State for his kind words relating to this project. It is a very detailed project and there is a lot of money involved, but I welcome the fact that in his response, he said the scheme preliminary business case is expected to be submitted to the Department of Transport in the second half of this year. This is very welcome news. We need to keep this momentum going, and subject to Government approval, which I am sure will come as is required under the infrastructure guidelines, the submission of the statutory documents for the project will be forwarded to An Coimisiún Pleanála. I thank the Minister of State very sincerely for his response. As two Cork TDs in this area, we met the representatives of Cork Development Forum recently in Leinster House, and the Cork Chamber of Commerce. There is huge backing to finally proceed to get that infrastructure project between Cork and Limerick together. It is very important and poignant that today further infrastructure announcements were made by Government to move the delivery of infrastructure more quickly. That is very much where the N20-M20 project is at. I hope this project will fit into this Bill. Like the lengthy duplicative processes, the project will undergo a streamlined, time-bound internal review by the Department of public expenditure. The kind of practical reform the Government wants to see is when infrastructure is ready to go, the system should help it to move and not hold it back if at all possible. I thank the Minister of State for his comments on the project. It is important that we collectively, as Corkonians but also as Government representatives, move forward and match the words with actions to ensure that this N20-M20 project motorway moves decisively from aspiration to reality.

The Deputy is right that it is time to move from aspiration to delivery. That is why the Tánaiste was very clear about the need for the development of expeditious projects to be progressed, with the whole issue around infrastructure development and the need for a specific department of infrastructure. The Deputy and I really listened to the Cork Development Forum and the chamber of commerce and other business interests and a variety of interests relating to the N20-M20 project. It is included in the NDP and received, as he knows, significant funding in 2024. This year’s funding allocation is due shortly and it will receive money. The proposed project is critically important in terms of connectivity, not just from a Cork-Limerick perspective but also from the perspective of other regional towns as we have articulated and outlined. It is important to outline to the House that approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funding was provided last year to TII in line with the NDP and Government policy, and TII sought to allocate national roads funding to local authorities in a manner that seeks to deliver in protecting existing rural projects and major projects that are to be progressed or are in or near construction, such as that we were talking about in terms of pre-construction, but also in the context of new roads. The N20-M20 is one we need to see delivered. We have seen the benefit in our own county in the Baile Bhuirne-Macroom bypass, in the importance of the Dunkettle interchange upgrade, and we need to see more happening in terms of the N40 where we have gridlock every day. We need the Atlantic economic corridor to be developed so that we can improve the offerings of jobs in west Cork, north Cork and dare I say it, Kerry as well. This is about ensuring the N20-M20 is built. People have waited long enough. The potential to reduce road fatalities and accidents is there for all to see from a safety point of view. I look forward to working with all Members, but in particular Deputy O'Shea, to deliver the project on behalf of the Government.