The Government has announced funding of more than €500m for Ireland’s national roads and greenways for this year.
Of the total €517m, €412m will be for major national roads projects across the country; €33m will be for national road maintenance and €72m will be available for 70 Greenway projects.
The funding will see more Greenways completed in 2024 like the Limerick Greenway or the Waterford Greenways. In addition, the first section of the Midleton to Youghal Greenway will open in March, with other schemes moving through planning and design stages.
Some of the major new national projects that will progress include the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge, the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy, the N25 Midleton to Youghal (Castlemartyr and Killeagh Bypasses), N17 Knock to Collooney and the N4 Mullingar to Longford roads.
Many by-passes and relief road schemes will also progress, including those around the towns of Adare, Virginia, Listowel, Ardee or Foxford, for example. The 2024 funding allocations are made having regard for the National Development Plan 2021-2030 (NDP), which balances investment in transport against other priorities of Government on housing and health over the lifetime of the Plan.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said: “A priority for this government is to ensure that the national road network we have put in place is safe and well maintained for all road users. Another priority is that we progress with the construction of by-passes around our historic market towns, so that people can enjoy safe, liveable, thriving communities without congestion and excess through traffic. These allocations are another milestone in a pathway of strategic investment in our National Road network over the remainder of this decade.”
