Authorities not given information on future of Cork infrastructure projects

Transport and local authorities have not yet been given information on the future of Cork infrastructure projects such as the Dunkettle interchange and Macroom bypass after Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said major capital projects could be deferred.

Mr Donohoe, in an interview with Newstalk, said that capital plans under Project 2040 may have to be deferred, although his intention is to "preserve as much of our big capital commitments as I can".

Wen asked about the immediate future of major Cork projects such as the Cork-Limerick motorway, Dunkettle upgrade and Macroom bypass, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said: "The overall schedule impact on national road projects under construction, in relation to Covid-19, is not known at this time."

Cork County Council said that "no such communication has been received from TII, Government or any state body" in relation to the major capital projects in the county.

Cork Chamber president Paula Cogan said now is not the time to back away from capital projects, but rather to double down on them.

"We must take the learnings from the 2007 - 2008 global financial crisis and the years of austerity that followed, and avoid repeating the measures that stifled economic, community and social resilience," Ms Cogan said.

She added: "The global financial crisis saw Government in the subsequent years focus away from public transport and housing as the construction sector crashed. These are critical areas that in recent years we’ve been grappling with.

"These issues will be waiting for us after we move through our health crisis into an economic suppression. It’s so important that as we navigate the ‘beyond’ phase of this crisis that we do so in a way that supports public spending and investment in essential services but also the fundamental building blocks of strong communities and thriving economies."