Cork North-Central is where more than €35 billion is coming from Apple into the Exchequer. I raise the issue of the north ring road, which is north of the city. In the past two years, not one brown cent has been made available for the development of the strategic plan for the northside of Cork city. Funding has been provided for the distributor road, which is also important. The Tánaiste mentioned the capital programme. I ask that the north ring road is not excluded in view of the fact that not one cent has been provided for it in two years. That was at a time when three senior Cabinet people were based in Cork. I ask for the north ring road be included in the capital programme, that the money for the distributor road also be prioritised, and that the project be allowed to go ahead in the fastest possible timeframe.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is not the first time that he has passionately raised the importance of the northern distributor road. The proposal was established in the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS. It is seen as an absolutely essential or, in the words of the strategy, a "critical enabler" for its delivery. My understanding is that the road only emerged as a proposal in CMATS, which was finalised in 2020, and was therefore not part of the current national development plan. However, I assure the Deputy that I will work with him to seek its inclusion in the revised national development plan. I know how important it is to Cork, to the region and to investment.