Mattie McGrath demands urgency on N24 bypass for Tipperary Town
Mattie McGrath pressed the minister for an update on the N24 bypass and the N24 Waterford project, urging faster progress and expressing frustration at the need to remake a business case. He strongly supported a bypass of Tipperary Town and warned of ongoing safety and economic harms from heavy traffic.
Funding and allocations
The Department of Transport announced approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024. The N24 Limerick Junction scheme received €650,000 in 2024 to progress design and environmental evaluation and to prepare a preliminary business case for approval gate 1; TII indicated the business case may be submitted to government before the end of the year.
Project benefits and scope
The minister said the N24 Limerick Junction project will enhance regional accessibility and connectivity between Limerick and Waterford and provide improved public transport links via direct access to train stations at Limerick Junction. The scheme also includes a bypass of the town and is intended to improve residents’ quality of life in line with the government’s town-centre-first policy and the national planning framework’s compact growth objective.
N24 Waterford status
The N24 Waterford project was not included in the initial 2024 allocations, but a commitment has been made to fund it to the end of the option selection phase to allow a preferred route to be chosen. TII has made funding available to complete option selection, the minister said, and the project remains within the national development plan and will be considered funded in two years.
Deputy reaction and local impact
The deputy welcomed the additional funding as a lifeline for design work but said he was “shocked and taken aback” that a business case must be produced again for a project he regards as long justified. He highlighted local concerns including last year’s fatalities, heavy truck traffic through Tipperary Town, and a chamber of commerce claim that about 30% of local shopfronts are not in operation because of traffic.
Next steps and decision process
The minister reiterated that the public spending code requires decision gates for all projects and described the presentation of the business case to government this year as a significant milestone. If approved at that gate, the project could proceed to planning permission and, subject to subsequent gates, to construction; the deputy urged the minister to follow through on commitments to secure the bypass for Tipperary Town.
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Minister, I want to ask you for an update on the N24 bypass and lead, a new link, a very important link between Limerick and Waterford, a huge impact on industry and business and the life of people in the towns and villages along the route, as well as people obtaining planning permission for any different developments and the ongoing delays and could you give us an update please? Thank you very much Deputy. Approximately 411 million Euros of Exchequer Capital Funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024. These allocations were announced by the Department of Transport and TII on the 22nd of February earlier this year. With regard to the N24 care to Limerick Junction scheme, I'm pleased to confirm that €650,000 was allocated to this project in 2024, which will enable it to progress through the design and environmental evaluation phase. This will enable the preparation of a preliminary business case for the scheme, which will then be brought to government for a decision at approval gate 1 of the infrastructure guidelines. TII has indicated that it may be possible to submit this as a business case before the end of this year. This project will enhance regional accessibility and improve connectivity between Limerick and Waterford. It will also provide the opportunity to provide better connectivity with public transport through direct access to the train stations and care in Limerick Junction. It's also important to point out that it includes a bypass of the temporary town, which will improve the quality of life of residents in line with government's town centre first policy and promote compact growth, which is a national strategic outcome under the national planning framework. The other project mentioned by the deputy, the N24 waterford care project was not among the projects identified as part of the initial 2024 allocations. However, a commitment has been made to fund the project to the end of the option selection phase, which will allow for the selection of a preferred route. And in this regard, TII has made funding available to complete that process. I can assure the deputy that the project remains part of the national development plan and will be considered funded in two years. I would do welcome the additional funding that gave us that lifeline to keep the care to Waterford in the design stage at least. Well, I'm very shocked and taken aback by the reply that the business case has to be made. I mean, the business case has long since made for this roadway, albeit with a motorway or dual carriageway or whatever. But we badly need, as I said, the bypass for Tiptown. And I've talked to you umpteen times about it and you've given commitments and you wanted to do it because Tiptown has to be allowed to live. But to think that we're going to have to make a business case to the TII again about this major infrastructure project that is so necessary to the region, that's so necessary at a national level also. Connectivity, as I said, from Port and Fines down to Rosslayer. And this is part of the route. And I think that any move to mention in a business case for that, obviously it has to be. I know that ideologically you're not in favour of motorways and new roads. But look, life has to go on. People have to live. Business has to flourish. And we're being handicapped and we're being hands tied behind our back and blindfolded with this inferior road. And not to mention the fatalities that occurred on it last year. And are projected to unfortunately to happen again because of the state of the road. I am very much in favour of this road and this project, particularly the section bypassing Tipperary Town, which I think should get, will advance faster than any other elements of the project. We want to get the true traffic out of Tipperary Town straight away. I think the member meeting represents local Chamber of Commerce. Some 30% of local shopfronts not in operation because, the main part, because you've got so many trucks going through the centre of the town. So, no, I want to see this built. I think this is good news today in terms of, as I said here, it will be coming to government for a decision this year. And you have to go through the public spending codes. It applies to all projects, all governments, all government departments. You have to, under a public spending code, go through various decision gates. The most significant one is when the business case is presented to government, as it will be in this case this year. And then you can go in to seek planning permission and then go to construction subject to all the other gates being passed through. So, I think this will be a significant milestone when it does go to government, which will be this year. And I think, Margaret, for the residents, particularly of Tipbury Town, that should be good news. Yes, indeed, good news, Minister. I hope you'll still be in Cabinet when it comes to government later on in the year. And I take your word that you are interested in having the bypass of Tiptown, because it's just that life is choked out of it with the trucks and, you know, traffic that shouldn't be going through the town. People will be able to breathe and work and live again in peace if that is bypassed. So, I'm imploring you to ensure that you hold on to that portfolio and that you do live up to your word, because you have given many commitments about the bypass of Tipbury Town at the relief road. And, as I said, we want to hold you to that and we appreciate your efforts there. So, hopefully the business case will be an exceptional one and that it will get through all these gates, because for too long the gates have been closed in Tipbury Town. And by gates I mean a permanent blockade of trucks bumper to bumper, tailed through the town. And, as I said, stopping all life. Surveys have been done about the pollution and about the noise and everything else. And it's not fair to the residents of Tiptown or the business people, or the people who want to come and visit Tiptown on the hinterland. So, I'm hoping that you'll be in Cabinet and ensure this should be along the road, in memory of your ancestors, all from Tipbury. Thank you. Thank you. Margaret, Lara. Yeah, absolutely. And those ancestors have turned that first Bianconi coach route from Klan Mel, rather, to Limerick. We should have gone through Banshee, or Tiptown didn't go through Banshee, went further south. But, so yes, in honour of those ancestors, I look forward to seeing this happen. The leadership will continue to happen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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