Carthy calls on Minister Humphreys and government to deliver ‘Clontibret to border’ road funding
Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has said that the government must restore funding to allow progress to the next planning phase of the Clontibet to the border N2 road scheme.
The scheme was included in the National Development Plan but was it revealed last week that it has ‘shelved’ from funding by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). In a hearing at the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee, the Chief Executive of TII, Mr. Peter Walsh, confirmed that any shelved project will be restored in the event of government instruction (see separate article).
Deputy Carthy said, therefore, that there must be a cabinet instruction to Minister Eamon Ryan to inform TII to earmark this road as a priority project. He called upon his constituency colleague, Minister Heather Humphreys, to secure this instruction.
Last week, Teachta Carthy, also raised the issue of the N2 Clontibret to the border road scheme with Taoiseach Michéal Martin during questions on promised legislation.
Carthy said:
“We remember the Government’s fanfare at major launches such as Our Rural Future, the shared island initiative and the many launches for the National Development Plan.
“The lofty words spoken at those launches about commitment to rural, regional and all-Ireland development actually count for very little when compared with the failure to deliver the infrastructure projects our regions require.
“We recently learned that the actions of the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, and the Government have resulted in the TII stalling the next planning phase of the Clontibret to the Border N2 road scheme, for example. Money was diverted from that project to pet projects of the Minister.
“The actions of TII at the behest of the Government could permanently condemn a project that was a key component of several peace process talks and is an integral infrastructure project for a region that has no rail network and a pathetic level of public transport options.
“Will the Taoiseach outline today whether he will ensure that this decision is reversed and the funding for this infrastructure project will be restored?”
In his response Taoiseach Michéal Martin said that government will “engage with the Minister and the TII in respect of what can be done on a whole variety of projects that are at different stages of development”.
Deputy Carthy has said that any delay in progressing this road will have a detrimental impact on economic development in the central border and north west regions. He has also said that it is unfair to ‘sterilise’ the land of Monaghan landowners indefinitely while this project is suspended indefinitely.
ENDS
