Government must prioritise delivery of Cork – Limerick motorway in Capital Plan

Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada has said that Government must prioritise delivery of the proposed M20 motorway linking Cork with Limerick in the soon to be published National Development Capital Plan.

Liadh Ní Riada made the comments following a meeting in Dublin with the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the European Investment Bank.

“Prioritisation of the Cork to Limerick motorway is a must within the National Development Plan, this motorway simply cannot wait any longer. In a recent discussion document I launched on Brexit, I proposed that Cork, Limerick and Galway are developed as an alternative economic axis to Dublin. Dublin is creaking at the seams, and the West needs investment to and fit-for-purpose transport links to underscore economic development and jobs growth.

Prioritising a transport link between Cork and Limerick will have far reaching effects in economic development of cities and tourism, according to the research I have completed. The South-West and Mid-West regions, incorporating Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Clare, are manufacturing hubs that specialise in pharmaceuticals, ICT and chemicals. Growth follows infrastructure and we’ve seen this across other counties.

We have EU Cohesion funds such as TEN-T available to us, which can be used to support our seaports and airports. The development of the M20 will link two of Ireland’s largest cities and employment hubs, and provide a link between Limerick city and Cork Airport which now offers transatlantic connections”.

“In my mind, the development of the Cork Limerick motorway is an obvious pathway forward to assist in the growth of a region which has been decimated by job losses and government policy which is Dublin focused”.