Cork north side transport funding
Deputy Gould accused the Government of favouring Cork’s south side over the north side in transport and active travel funding. The Minister denied any bias and said good projects from Cork would continue to be welcomed and delivered.
I have a very straightforward question for the Minister or for the Government. Why is the north side of Cork city being neglected when it comes to funding for road infrastructure and projects? Last year, under sustainable transport funding, 31 projects were announced for the south side of the city at a cost of almost €16 million but only 12 projects were announced for the north side at a cost of less than €6 million. Then, three weeks ago, the Minister announced the active travel fund, under which 29 projects, amounting to €18.6 million, are on the south side of the city and 13, amounting to less than €5 million, are on the north side. There is less money this year than there was last year. I have no problem with the projects announced for the south side going ahead. They deserve to go ahead. However, why is the north side being so neglected when it comes to funding? There is nothing for the northern ring road. Will the Minister explain this and ensure it does not happen again?
Comment on this
I assure the Deputy that the north side is just as much in our minds, attention and-----
Comment on this
That does not come from any Government direction or an inclination on its part not to support the north side over the south side. The Deputy mentioned the active travel fund. I remember talking to an engineer who said he had not seen a previous example where pretty much everything Cork had looked for we had been able to deliver. Cork has been ambitious and a bit ahead of the curve in some of these areas. What I said to the council when I met it was that if it comes with good projects, there will be an open door to trying to get them delivered and built. Critically for north Cork, under the funding for this year, spending on Kent Station will be provided to create the new Mallow-to-Midleton rail service. We will effectively build a DART for Cork with new stations on the north side, in the likes of Blarney, Monard, Tivoli and Blackpool. Those stations will be selected. That will transform north Cork. As for the European funding, we deliberately said that north Cork is where that new rail infrastructure should go. There is no shortage of desire to transform the north of Cork city.