Skip to main content

Ireland's budgert cuts impact on road projects

Ireland’s government is undergoing a period of belt-tightening, with a string of budget cuts that will directly impact on the transport sector. The country was in the process of spending heavily on its infrastructure but with the tough economic climate it is now facing, a number of road projects are among those facing the axe. The Irish government is slashing its infrastructure spending from €39.6 billion to €22.9 billion between now and 2013. This looks likely to result in 40 road projects, including hig
May 14, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSIreland’s government is undergoing a period of belt-tightening, with a string of budget cuts that will directly impact on the transport sector.

The country was in the process of spending heavily on its infrastructure but with the tough economic climate it is now facing, a number of road projects are among those facing the axe.

The Irish government is slashing its infrastructure spending from €39.6 billion to €22.9 billion between now and 2013. This looks likely to result in 40 road projects, including highways and dual carriageways, being shelved or cancelled.

Ireland’s 5525 National Roads Authority (NRA) has been told not to build previously planned rest areas along highways, with the
Atlantic Corridor Road linking Letterkenny and Waterford one of only a few projects that will remain in hand.
However, the NRA is planning the M20 motorway that will link the cities of Limerick and Cork.

Planning permission is being sought at present for the 80km road, which will be built in two phases: the first stage will run for around 40km from Kileens to Velvetstown while the second phase runs from Buttevant to Attyfield.

The project is expected to cost €800 million and the NRA hopes to begin construction of the first phase of the road in 2012, assuming that approval and funding can be secured.

Work on the second stage would start after the completion of the first phase in 2015, with the project planned for a completion date in 2018. However, with Ireland’s slow down on its infrastructure investment at present following the financial crisis it is not clear if the M20 project will be delayed.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • A decade for completing the 105km Cork-Limerick M20
    December 10, 2018
    It could be a decade before Ireland’s 105km Cork-Limerick M20 motorway is finished, the government has warned. Road safety groups and businesses have been pushing for the €900m M20 motorway because of issues over fatalities on the existing rural route. Simon Coveney, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, said the government was committed to the route – the largest motorway project to be undertaken in the next 25 years, and money has been earmarked for it. According to Irish media, Coveney also noted tha
  • Fresh talks on Irish motorway project
    April 26, 2012
    Fresh talks are due to take place in January in a bid to kick-start the stalled Cork-Limerick motorway project in Ireland. Cork County Council (CCC) engineer Noel O'Keeffe will meet Leo Varadkar, the Transport Minister, and the National Roads Authority, to find a way forward for the €800million (US$1.04billion) scheme. The 80km motorway cost CCC €19.5million (US$25.42million) to design before it was recently shelved by the NRA due to the lack of funds.
  • Extensive repairs needed for Ireland’s motorways
    December 4, 2012
    Substantial investment in road repairs is required in Ireland to stave off damage to the country’s motorway networks. According to figures from Ireland’s National Roads Authority (NRA), funds are necessary for essential maintenance to prevent Ireland’s motorway network from deteriorating. There will be a time period of up to two years before the repairs become necessary. However delays in commencing maintenance and repairs could result in a backlog of works building up and the NRA points out that this would
  • Ireland's highway and tunnel projects
    May 10, 2012
    Northern Ireland construction company, Lagan Construction, is celebrating its part in two major infrastructure projects in Ireland. The company said that the openings of the A1 dual carriageway bypass at Newry, Northern Ireland, and the Limerick Tunnel, Republic of Ireland, were major achievements, and had employed 350 people over the past four years. The €138 million Newry bypass, commissioned by the Roads Service in December 2007 and completed five months ahead of schedule, was delivered by Amey Lagan