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.

Sentiment score: 0.34

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.

Sentiment score: 0.46