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

  • Bolivian project moving forward
    February 24, 2012
    Bolivia's 306km Villa Tunari-San Ignacio de Moxos road is due for completion in 2014. The new road will provide and important link for the departments of Beni and Cochabamba
  • Tackling the UK's traffic congestion
    February 28, 2012
    The biggest problem on UK roads is congestion, and there is no shortage of ideas as to how it should be tackled. Patrick Smith reports. Congestion (and how to relieve it), along with safety, are among the top priorities facing those responsible for looking after the UK's roads. Road pricing, car-share lanes, greener vehicle initiatives and alternative methods of transport such as buses, trams and rail are all part of the approach, but prior to the current economic climate the nation's love affair with the c
  • UK highways need ‘€33.52 billion spend’
    July 3, 2012
    A new section of Hungary’s M6 highway, Phase III, is now open to traffic. This is one of the largest infrastructure deals in Hungary. The M6 Phase III Motorway between Dunaújváros and Szekszárd is being run under a 30-year concession awarded by the Republic of Hungary under a design, build, finance, maintain and operate contract. The 65km dual carriageway link forms the central section of the M6 highway linking Budapest to Pecs in the South of Hungary. Eight traffic junctions have been built to ensure conne
  • Work commencing on key New Zealand tunnel link
    August 3, 2012
    New Zealand prime minister John Key led an official ground-breaking ceremony this week to allow the start of excavation work for two new 2.4km-long motorway tunnels beneath suburban Auckland. The Waterview Connection project is on schedule to begin its main construction phase next year, and the prime minister was on hand to turn the first soil for a 30m-deep trench which is needed to allow access for the tunnels’ southern approach trench in the west Auckland suburb of Owairaka.