Road Projects Seanad Éireann — 2025-10-14 ============================================================ Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central I thank the Senator for raising the matter of the N71. The Senator is right that it is very different from when it was first originated and built. The Senator has outlined very much the key issues of safety and congestion. The traffic volume has made many of those vibrant towns very congested. I concur completely with the Senator that the N71 from the Bandon Road roundabout back to Bantry is deserving of a response from the Government and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. The Senator is right that the wait has been long enough. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien, who has responsibility for the overall policy and, with the Department of Transport, for Exchequer funding in relation to our national roads programme. As the Member will be aware, once funding arrangements are put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII conjunction with the local authority, which in this case is Cork County Council. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP. A priority in the NDP, in line with the Department's typical investment hierarchy, is to maintain the quality and safety of the existing road network. The NDP foresees an Exchequer allocation of some €2.9 billion for the protection and renewal of existing national roads over a ten-year period, excluding those in public-private partnerships, allocated evenly across the decade. Another €5.1 billion has been earmarked for new national road projects over the lifetime of the national development plan. Approximately €502 million in Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities this year. This is used for the construction of major new projects as well as the protection and renewal of the existing road network. It is important to point out that a number of road projects have been delivered in the Cork area around the M28 and the N22, and also at the Dunkettle interchange. The Senator raised the N71 specifically, which is an important gateway for west Cork, as the Senator has rightly said. Funding has been given in terms of some of the improvements but again the variety of improvement schemes are not what they should be, as the Senator said. I completely concur with the Senator having used the road extensively myself and having been down there with the Senator over the summer months. The Senator will be aware that an extension to the existing Bandon relief road is intended to address a number of issues with the current road. Currently this road ties back into the existing road network via a very steep downhill gradient. Traffic also needs to negotiate a number of roundabouts and priority junctions with the built-up area of Bandon. The proposed relief road extension will involve bridging the R603 to remove the steep gradient and the construction of approximately 2.5 km of a new single carriageway line tying back to the existing N71 just to the west of the town. Cork County Council held a competition in 2023 to appoint technical advisers to complete phase two - options selection, and phase three - design and environmental evaluation. As part of the national roads allocation for this year, €450,000 has been allocated, which will facilitate the advancement of the planning and design stage of the scheme. In relation to the proposed bypass at Bantry, I can confirm that as part of this year's national roads allocation €100,000 was allocated to progress the scheme to the initial planning phase. I understand from my discussions with TII and Cork County Council that we are not yet in a position to prioritise the proposed bypass of Innishannon and Clonakilty due to the many competing demands for these resources, which have been required to fund other schemes. I do take the Senator's point about the co-ordinated council plan. It is one that is needed. Those of us who use the road understand the importance of what the Senator has raised. The Senator is articulating very eloquently and very passionately the views of many. I thank the Senator for his ongoing advocacy. I look forward, with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, to ensuring that Innishannon, Bandon, Clonakilty and Bantry, and the people of west Cork, receive their share of funding. The Senator is right that it is gridlock now going through Innishannon at any hour of the day or night and it is nearly a long-term hazard. The Senator has articulated quite well that Bandon is choked too. I look forward to working with the Senator to ensure we can prioritise and progress the N71 upgrade. I look forward to hearing any further suggestions the Senator has on the matter. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-10-14/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:13+00:00 Sitting date: 2025-10-14