Tipperary senator calls on Minister Eamon Ryan to fund N24 road project
A decision taken by Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, not to fund part of the N24 road project between Cahir and Waterford must be reversed, according to a Tipperary senator.
Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Garret Ahearn said, “I have raised this issue numerous times now. We are at a critical stage with this project.
“There are only a few weeks left until the design group completes its work on the design for this route. It is being done in two phases. The phase relating to the part of the road between Cahir and Waterford is the one that has been shelved by the Minister.
“He has decided not to fund it anymore. We are looking for €2.5 million. €5.07 million has been spent to date on the current scheme.
“Over the past seven years, this Government and that which preceded it spent over €5 million to get to this point. If this project is stopped, it would mean that all this money and all the reports done will have been for nothing.
“The reports will be shelved for good, and the money will have been wasted because we are not willing to continue with the planning application stage.
“This happened in 2002 with the N24. Work went on for a couple of years and then the project was shelved. Work began again on it in 2012, went on for a couple of years and then the project was again shelved.
“This would be the third time that we would not get to the planning application stage. If the scheme remains shelved – it is likely to take 10 to 12 years to get back to the current position.
“The important thing about this situation is that if we get the project to the planning application stage and get it approved, then all those reports that were done will stand after planning permission is granted.
“We would never have to go back to the start again. We could make a decision in a couple of years on the cost of construction. All we need to do now is to fund the project for €2.5 million to keep it going. This endeavour would have a real impact.
“Three people lost their lives on the N24 this year. There are many homes within the buffer zone of the N24 that are in limbo, and 2,285 landholdings are sterilised indefinitely because they are in the buffer zone.
“It is very unfair for the people living in that area of the constituency. This is a major strategic route between Limerick and Waterford. The Minister needs to fund it.
“We have so much money in play at the moment. Only €2.5 million is required to continue what was started six years ago and to support the south-east region.”
There have been 46 deaths since 1996 along the section of the N24 – Waterford to Cahir – under consideration, with three people losing their lives in the last year. Tipperary ranked worst in the country for road deaths in 2023 with 16 deaths.
“The entire N24 contributes to 25pc – two to three – of the road deaths in Tipperary per year, even though the road length only equates to 1pc of Tipperary’s total network. The N24 project is essential to resolve this,” added Senator Ahearn.
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