A NEW M20 motorway linking Cork and Limerick has been officially given the go-ahead by the government this morning.
In connecting Cork, Limerick, (and onto Galway) in one stretch of high-speed motorway, the road will become the first major transport conduit in Ireland not to terminate in Dublin.
It will supersede the current N20 national road linking the two cities.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed the news this morning in a speech to the Cork Chamber of Commerce at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
There was some confusion regarding the future of the motorway as Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe didn’t include it as one of a number of capital projects outlined in his Budget speech last Tuesday. Such confusion has now been disspelled.
“Capital investment can change geography and be a real means of releasing the full economic and social potential of Cork, Limerick and Munster,” Varadkar said in his speech this morning, as reported by the Limerick Leader.
The M20 is a huge project with a massive price range. It is however worth it.
Local Fine Gael representative for Limerick Senator Kieran O’Donnell meanwhile hailed the announcement as “great news” for his native county.
The plan will see €20 million committed to the scheme, which will now go through a phase of planning and design, before construction commences, with a two-to-three year timeframe mooted.
The confirmation of the new 80-kilometre roadway was greeted with delight by Conor Healy, CEO of the Cork Chamber.
“Today’s commitment to the much-awaited M20 finally going ahead is a significant vote of confidence in the growth potential of all of Munster, and we commend (the government in the foresight of investing in a motorway link between our second and third cities,” he said.
The socio-economic report commissioned by Cork and Limerick Chambers earlier this year confirmed that the M20 has the potential to support up to 5,400 new direct jobs in the region, which would benefit the Exchequer by up to €128m per annum.
I have no doubt that the M20 will be of huge benefit to our country overall, and in light of its importance we hope to see the M20 top of the list of new infrastructure projects to be delivered in government’s forthcoming 10-year investment plan.
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