Road Projects
Seanad Éireann — 2025-10-14
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

I accept the Senator's disappointment. The N71 is a very important gateway to west Cork. I live at the beginning of it and have travelled it. There is huge merit in what the Senator is suggesting about a co-ordinated corridor. I will not read out the rest of the response to the Senator because it will probably aggravate him further and I do not want to do that. We all share, whether it is the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, or me, the need for continued road investment and allocation of funding for projects such as the N71. I give a commitment to the Senator that I will co-ordinate a meeting between him and officials in the Department. It is something we have to look at in terms of the gateway to west Cork, which is a tourism mecca for our county and region. It is also an important one in terms of the ongoing investment in Cork. It is, as the Senator said, to eliminate that choked passageway through Innishannon, Clonakilty, Bantry and Bandon. I will work with the Senator to ensure he gets a reply back and a meeting with officials. It is an important issue. I say this as a Cork person who understands the frustration of people in west Cork. If you stand at the side of the road in Innishannon, it is nearly a procession of traffic the whole time, as the Cathaoirleach knows. I take the Senator's frustration and annoyance at the response. I will work with him to ensure we progress the plan. I thank him again for raising the matter.

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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