Documents show little chance M20 Cork-Limerick motorway will be built by 2030

Any prospect of the M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick being built before 2030 is remote, following the Government’s decision not to approve capital funding for the project in the recent budget.

Documents seen by the Irish Examiner show the head of the National Roads Authority warned the Department of Transport last year that immediate approval was needed to reactivate the M20 proposal if the motorway was to be completed by 2030.

Although not stated expressly, it was also intimated to transport officials that the failure to progress the development of the M20 would result in avoidable road deaths over future years.