Tipperary Council in talks to secure €2.85m to continue N24 Cahir/Limerick Junction design

Tipperary County Council has received just €650,000 of the €3.5m required this year to continue work on designing the upgrade to the Cahir to Limerick Junction section of the N24 but is hopeful of success with its talks to secure the rest of the finance.

That was the message senior Council management gave Tipperary Town Cllr Annemarie Ryan when she requested the Council to also include the Cahir to Limerick Junction section of the N24 in a motion calling on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to provide sufficient funding this year to progress the design of the Cahir to Waterford section of the N24 upgrade.

Councillors voiced unanimous support for the motion that was tabled at the Council’s April meeting in the wake of a negative response from the Minister to a letter sent by the CEOs of Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny County Councils seeking the funds required to progress the design and planning of the Cahir to Waterford section of the N24 to the third and fourth stages.

Cllr Ryan urged the motion also request the rest of the funding needed for the Cahir to Limerick Junction section this year pointing out that Tipperary Town is depending on the bypass proposed as part of the upgrade to rejuvenate its town centre.

But the Council’s Director of Roads Services Liam Brett and CEO Joe MacGrath advised it would be better to hold their fire at this stage.

Mr Brett explained the Cahir to Waterford section of the N24 project was the part of the scheme the Council has most grave concerns about at this point and time as the Council has received a response that no funding will be provided for continuing its design. A total of €2.5m is required this year and €7.5m to complete the full design and planning of the Cahir to Waterford N24 upgrade.
On the other hand, the Council has secured €650,000 for progressing the Cahir to Limerick Junction section design.

A total of €3.5m is needed this year and there was ongoing discussions with Transport Infrastructure Ireland in relation to securing the shortfall.

“Until such time as those discussions are fruitful or not, I suggest we keep it separate from what is being discussed today,” he advised.

Mr MacGrath agreed. He said work is continuing on the Cahir to Limerick Junction design project for now and the Council will continue to liaise with its colleagues in the TII about securing the rest of the funding required.

“I would be more optimistic about those discussions. I would advise that we keep it separate to this issue also because it (the Cahir to Limerick Junction N24 upgrade design) is a phase ahead of the Cahir to Waterford section.”

Cllr Ryan responded that she understood the officials argument about keeping the two sections separate but pointed out that the €650,000 must be almost run out and wondered would they be discussing the drying up of these funds at the next council meeting.

She stressed the upgrade of the Limerick Junction to Cahir section of the N24 is equally as important as the Cahir to Waterford section.

She asked if a second motion could be tabled and passed calling for the rest of the finance to be allocated to continue with the Cahir to Limerick Junction design work.

Mr Brett said he accepted and acknowledged Cllr Ryan’s concerns but assured her the Council is hopeful of resolving the funding shortfall for the Cahir to Limerick Junction section of the project.

He also assured the Tipperary Town councillor there was currently enough funding to continue design work on the Cahir to Limerick Junction section for another few months which gave the Council some time to resolve the problem.

Mr MacGrath assured Cllr Ryan the Council viewed the upgrade of the N24 between Cahir and Limerick Junction as “absolutely critical” but while this project has “momentum” behind it, the Cahir to Waterford section of the upgrade is losing momentum.

“If it gets to a point where we have failed to make progress, there will be no hesitation in issuing a letter (to the Minister),” he added.