Mattie McGrath urges funding to revive N24 Care to Waterford project

Minister, I'm delighted that you're here, because I know that you're an understanding man, you travel the rural roads every hour of every day of the week, every day of the year, and you know how important this project, you've travelled it recently on your visit to Cair, the N24, from Cair to Waterford, is just a massive project, it's at a critical juncture this year, only 80,000 was given in 2025 to keep the project alive, it didn't keep it alive, it actually wound down the project, so the councillors, as you know, and Tipperary, Waterford and Kenny met last Monday night, and they're very anxious that this would go ahead, and they've called on their Ruxus members, and I thought they'd be here now, Deputy Clear, Deputy Colnane and Deputy McGuinness, but Deputy Murphy and I are here pushing with you to try and have this such an important road link, and the numbers of fatalities over the decades I'm just appalling, 25% of all fatalities are on that part of the road, the road goes from Fines, as you know, Port to Ross Lear Port, and Waterford Port, it's so important for infrastructure, for connectivity, for trade, for business, for tourism, for everything, so Minister, we are making progress on the Limerick, Cair to Limerick, Cockbeater to Limerick section, so that's very, very welcome, but we want this project now, and I'm appealing you to ask Minister O'Brien to try and, and Minister of Transport, I speak to them on a weekly basis about it, have make sure this project is kept alive, and we get the requisite funding to bring it to Commission Penala, as you know, lots of money has been spent over the decades, about, you know, almost 20 million, so it's a waste of money if we're not able to continue with it, and Minister Ross was Minister of Transport, I took him down to the Penthouse stretch, where it was at the author house, and thankfully, we've done flyovers there now, it should have been in the first day, but I can't impress enough, I'm pardon for people living on the route, people are farming on the route, people want to get planning commission for anything else, this development must get the green light, and we must know we are, we have to get certainty, and we have to be sure of where we're going. Go to Markwood. I would just want to thank both Deputies Matthew McGrath and Deputy Michael Murphy for raising this very, very important issue, and yes, Deputy McGrath, you are correct, I travelled this road recently, and Deputy Murphy, I know you have important issues for me to see, and I will be going to meet with you as well also in the near future, because of issues that you are raising on behalf of your constituents, and I confirm I will be doing what you wish. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy, and Exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Act of 1993 to 2015, and in line with the NDP, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the Local Roads Authority concerned. Ultimately, this will deliver the National Roads Programme in line with the project to Ireland 2040, the National Planning Framework and the NDP. Funding allocated for the new national roads projects under the NDP is intended to enable improved regional accessibility across the country, as well as compacted growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national roads projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage, and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others. With regard to the N22 Care to Waterford project, this project aims to enhance regional accessibility and improve connectivity between Limerick and Waterford. The project would bypass such towns as Clannmel and Caracanshur, as well as delivering significant roads safety improvements. In addition, the project would provide improved access to international markets, as the N24 connects to the N29, which links directly to the Port of Waterford, and the N24 also connects to Ross Lear Europort via the N25. The project would improve the quality of life of commuters and local residents through improved journey times and the provision of new cycle and walkway facilities. It is envisaged that the N24 will enable a connection to the Waterford Greenway, which will in turn connect to the South East Greenway, which will run from Waterford City to New Ross. The project is currently nearing the end of the routine option selection phase. Kilkenny County Council, as the lead authority of the project, is making final preparations for the publication of the route selection report. The report will be available from the project website once published. While it was not possible to allocate funding to progress the project to the design and environmental evaluation phase in 2025, it is important to point out that the project remains part of the NDP. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the N24 Waterford to Care project will be kept under review for 2025 and in future years, and will be considered in terms of the overall funding available to TII. It is expected that allocations for the 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks, very shortly indeed. In the programme for government, we have committed to investing in all roads projects in the current national development plan and to increase funding for the new roads as part of the NDP review. With the NDP review having been completed, the Department of Transport's Service, a sectoral plan, which is based upon this review, will guide transport investment decisions in the coming years. And also to outline to the two deputies involved, this government at its outset gave a commitment to the people of Ireland that they want tar. And that is what this government is going to deliver, tar, for projects such as what you have outlined and others, which are going to be announced very soon. Because this government, as I have said, is committed to providing tar to the people in the interest of road connectivity, in the interest of road safety and ensuring that people will have proper safe surfaces and route selections to go from A to B. I have got to start. And from a road safety perspective, the situation is stark. The 65-kilometre stretch, which is to Tipperary, it is 1% of Tipperary's road networks, yet 25% of road fatalities, and alarming and unacceptable statistics, Minister, I know you agree. The proposed route bypasses Munkine and Caracan Shure, and a flyover for Kishidan, yet inexplicably continues through the existing congested Clonmel bypass, the only urban area with daily traffic bottlenecks. So we have to re-examine this again and go back to the drawing board. I am eagerly awaiting the publication of the route option selection documents, along with thousands of landowners and people who live in the area. Seven homes are to be taken out. So, Minister, we have to tweak this and re-dig this. It is not fair that we would take homes. But I am glad that you are in your position, and that the government have now gone back to roads rather than city projects, like many of them, of, you know, active travel, but you couldn't get funding for roads. I want to thank you, Minister, for your interest in Tipperary, your assistance with projects that you visited, and your intention to visit again, and continue supporting us on many projects in South Tipperary. Again, I want to thank Deputy Matty McGrath and Deputy Michael Murphy for your diligence and your commitment to your constituents, which, of course, is extremely strong, and your efforts on their behalf, again, with the heart of government, is most welcome. I wish to also point out that a number of new roads projects which are included in the quarantine DP have already been delivered. This includes the IN22 Balavuna to Macroon project, the Dunketl interchange upgrade, and the IN5 Westport to Torlach, and the bypass of Mycolan and Listol. As the greater portion of the NDP funding for national roads becomes available in the second half of the decade, this meant that there was a constraint on the funding available for projects in 2025. However, approximately 502 million of Exchequer Capital funds have been provided to TII for national roads in 2025. In line with the NDP and the government policy, TII have sought to allocate national roads funding to local authorities in a manner which seeks to achieve the following key outcomes. Protection and renewal of the existing national road network, progressing major projects in or near construction, progressing major projects which are at an earlier stage of the development pipeline. A number of new projects have already been delivered. This includes the IN22 Balavuna to Macroon project, which of course would be of great interest and has been great interest to Deputy Danny Healy-Ray, the Dunketl interchange upgrade, and the IN5 Westport to Torlach and bypasses of Mycolan and Listol. The Programme for Government commits to increased funding for new roads as part of the NDP review and the maintenance of existing roads.