Delays To N24 Design Due To Lack Of Funding Would Be “Unthinkable” Says Independent Cllr

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Tipperary County Council Civic Offices, Tipperary Town. Image © Tipp Mid West Radio

Delays due to a lack of funding for the completion of design and the planning application in respect of the N24 Cahir towards Oola project would be “unthinkable “ according to Tipperary Cllr Anne Marie Ryan.

The councillor was speaking on a motion put forward by Cllr Siobhan Ambrose seeking an update on the related funding.

Tipperary county council requested €3.25M to continue work on the project in 2023 – the allocation approved by the Department of Transport is €1M. Tipperary County Council says it will need at least €1.63M to complete the work planned for this year, surveys and investigations as part of phase 3 Design & Environmental Evaluation for the Project. Funding for next year’s work including issuing the statutory CPO Orders and submitting the application to An Bord Pleanála is currently estimated to be approximately €2,500,000.

Tipperary County Council has now had it’s request for the allocation to be revised upwards to €3.25M this year endorsed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland  and is awaiting a response from the Department of Transport.

Following a proposal by Cllr Anne Marie Ryan at today’s plenary meeting and seconded by Cllr Michael Fitzgerald a letter to Transport Minister Eamon Ryan is to be drafted on behalf of all councillors requesting that the funding be increased as required to ensure no delay with the project.

The other part of the N24 project between Waterford to Cahir also received less funding than requested – being allocated €2M while the request had been for €2.6M –  the deficit does not impede any work planned to be completed in 2023.