Pat Buckley
Ceist:634. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if and when he will progress the M20 project and if not, his plans to improve road infrastructure in the region. [19138/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 5 July 2016
Ceisteanna (634)
Freagraí scríofa
The transport element of the Capital Plan published in September 2015 provided for some targeted investment in a number of new projects in the Munster region including the N8/N25 Dunkettle Interchange and the N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom schemes. In addition, a number of other schemes targeted at removing bottlenecks and upgrading port access, will commence subject to development consent. These include the Mallow Relief Road, Adare By-Pass and the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Road. It was not possible to include the M20 in the Capital Plan as the scale of investment to deliver it as originally proposed was not affordable.
However, as part of its work on the proposed Mallow Relief Road, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is examining whether the Mallow project can be progressed in such a way that it facilitates the development of the N20 in phases. If work on that project and additional studies show that a phased approach is feasible, the N20 upgrade could be considered as part of the planned mid-term review of the Capital Plan. In the meantime, TII is funding a feasibility study on the proposed Mallow Relief Road this year.