Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the N24 upgrade from both Waterford to Cahir and Cahir to Limerick Junction; and if he will commit to progressing the project to the next stage before the end of the 33rd Dáil. [28997/24]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Will the Minister give an update on the N24? It will be a very important link between Limerick and Waterford, with a great impact on industry and business and the lives of people in the towns and villages along the route as well as those obtaining planning permission for various developments. There are ongoing delays and I ask the Minister for an update.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for his question.

Approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024. These allocations were announced by the Department of Transport and TII on 22 February 2024.

With regard to the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction scheme, I am pleased to confirm that €650,000 was allocated to this project in 2024, which will enable it to progress through the design and environmental evaluation phase. This will enable the preparation of a preliminary business case for the scheme, which will then be brought to Government for a decision at approval gate 1 of the infrastructure guidelines.

TII has indicated that it may be possible to submit this business case before the end of the year.

This project will enhance regional accessibility and improve connectivity between Limerick and Waterford. It will also provide the opportunity to provide better connectivity with public transport through direct access to the train stations in Cahir and Limerick Junction. It is also important to point out that it includes a bypass of Tipperary town, which will improve the quality of life for residents in line with the Government's town centre first policy and promote compact growth, which is a national strategic outcome under the national planning framework.

The other project mentioned by the Deputy, the N24 Waterford to Cahir project, was not among the projects identified as part of the initial 2024 allocations. However, a commitment has been made to fund the project to the end of the options selection stage, which will allow for the selection of a preferred route and TII has made funding available to complete that process. I assure the Deputy that the project remains part of the national development plan and will be considered for funding in future years.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I welcome the initial funding that gave us the lifeline for the design stage of the Cahir to Waterford project at least but I am shocked and taken aback by the reply that a business case has to be made. The business case has long since been made for this road project. Whether it is a motorway or dual carriageway, the bypass of Tipperary town is badly needed. I have spoken to the Minister umpteen times about it and he has given commitments and said he wants to do it. Tipperary town has to be allowed to live. To think we will have to make a business case to TII again about this major infrastructural project that is so necessary to the region and at a national level is shocking. This is part of the route providing connectivity from the port at Foynes to Rosslare. The Minister is ideologically not in favour of motorways and new roads but life has to go on, people have to live and business has to flourish and we are being handicapped with our hands tied behind our backs and blindfolded with this inferior road, not to mention the fatalities that occurred on it last year and, unfortunately, are predicted to happen again because of the state of the road.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am very much in favour of this project, especially of the section bypassing Tipperary town, which will advance faster than any other element of the project. We want the through-traffic out of Tipperary town straightaway. I recall meeting representatives of the local chamber of commerce. Some 30% of local shop fronts are not in operation, in the main, because there are so many trucks going through the centre of the town. I therefore want to see this built.

This is good news. As I said, it will come to the Government for a decision this year. It has to go through the process. The public spending codes apply to all projects and all Departments. Under our public spending code, a project has to go through various decision gates, but the most significant one is when the business case is presented to the Government, as it will be in this case this year. Then we can seek planning permission and go to construction subject to it passing through all the other gates. It will be a significant milestone when it goes to the Government, which will happen this year. That should be good news, especially for the residents of Tipperary town.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Yes, indeed, it is good news. I hope the Minister will still be in the Cabinet when it comes to the Government later in the year. I take him at his word that he is interested in having a bypass of Tipperary town. The life is choked out of it with the trucks and other traffic that should not be going through the town. People will be able to breathe, work and live again in peace if it is bypassed. I implore the Minister to ensure he holds on to his portfolio and lives up to his word because he has given many commitments about the bypass of Tipperary town and the relief road. We will hold him to them. We appreciate his efforts.

I hope the business case will be an exceptional one and get through all the gates because for too long the gates have been closed. By gates, I mean a permanent blockade of trucks, bumper to bumper tailing through the town and stopping all life. Surveys have been done on the pollution, noise and everything else and it is not fair to the residents or business people of Tipperary town or the people who want to come and visit the town and its hinterland. I hope the Minister will be in Cabinet to ensure this is shunted along the road in memory of his ancestors, who were all from Tipperary.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Those ancestors helped on the first Bianconi coach route from Clonmel to Limerick, which went through Tipperary town. It did not go through Bansha; it went further south. In honour of those ancestors, I look forward to seeing this happen.