Calls for action on ‘appalling’ Waterford to Limerick road as project delays continue

A number of TDs have called for action on the N24 road, which runs from Limerick to Waterford.

The issue was raised by independent Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath during a recent Dáil debate on road projects.

Deputy McGrath said: “The N24 from Cahir to Waterford is a massive project that is at a critical juncture this year.

“Only €80,000 was given in 2025 to keep the project alive. It did not keep it alive; it actually wound it down.

“The councils of Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny met last Monday night. They are very anxious that this will go ahead.”

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Deputy McGrath went on to highlight the concerns he has regarding road safety on the route.

“From a road safety perspective, the situation is stark. The 65 km stretch, which is through Tipperary, is 1% of the county's road network yet accounts for 25% of road fatalities, which the Minister of State will agree is an alarming and unacceptable statistic.

“The proposed route bypasses Mooncoin and Carrick-on-Suir and provides a flyover for Kilsheelan, yet it inexplicably continues through the existing congested Clonmel bypass, the only urban area with daily traffic bottlenecks.

“We have to re-examine this and go back to the drawing board,” he concluded.

These sentiments were echoed by Fine Gael Tipperary South TD Michael Murphy, who expressed his frustration at the delays to the project.

Deputy Murphy said that while the Limerick to Cahir section has advanced, delays to the Cahir to Waterford section have created an imbalance.

He continued: “On the ground, the urgency is obvious. The Clonmel bypass is carrying more than 20,000 vehicles every single day, far beyond its intended capacity.

“This results in daily congestion, compromised safety and real economic loss for businesses and communities across Tipperary and the wider region.

“It is not a local issue. It is a bottleneck that is affecting connectivity between Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford and ultimately the functioning of our ports and supply chains.

“The N24 is a spine linking two major cities yet one half of the corridor moves ahead while the other is left waiting. That is simply not tenable.”

Deputy Murphy concluded by calling on the Department of Transport to ensure the Cahir to Waterford section moves to detailed design in 2026.

In response to the two deputies, Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae emphasised the importance of the project and outlined the current situation.

“The project is currently nearing the end of the route options selection phase.

“Kilkenny County Council, as the lead authority for the project, is making final preparations for the publication of the route selection report.

“The report will be available from the project website once published.”

Minister Healy-Rae continued by highlighting the steps involved in allocating funding for the project over the coming years.

“While it was not possible to allocate funding to progress the project to the design and environmental evaluation phase in 2025, it is important to point out that the project remains part of the NDP (National Development Plan).

“As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the N24 Waterford to Cahir project will be kept under review for 2025 and in future years and will be considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

“It is expected that allocations for 2026 will be announced very shortly in the coming weeks,” he concluded.

Waterford’s two Sinn Féin TDs, Conor D. McGuinness and David Cullinane, also lended their support for the project.

Deputy McGuinness said: “Before I get into the substance of the issue, I add our support to the matter that was just under discussion.

“My colleague, Deputy David Cullinane, and I both co-signed that Topical Issue to lend our support to it because it is an issue that affects the whole south east.

“I know Deputies from Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny are supportive of that and working in unison to get the Government to do the right thing by the N24.”

These sentiments were echoed by his party colleague, Deputy Cullinane.

He stated: “In fact, the only funding that was given from the Government this year was to buy out the contract of the company that actually did the work on the preferred route.

“There are real concerns that this vital road is now being put on hold. The Waterford to Limerick road really needs to be improved.

“Deputy Conor McGuinness and I, and all the Oireachtas Members from across the affected counties, will continue to raise this to ensure that it gets proper funding next year.”

Kilkenny County Council, in partnership with Tipperary County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Department of Transport are seeking to develop the N24 Waterford to Cahir Project.

The project has been identified for progression through pre-appraisal and early planning under the National Development Plan 2018-2027.

Kilkenny County Council, as lead authority, has appointed Arup as Technical Advisors to progress the planning and design for the project.