Paschal Donohoe: FG would 'argue very firmly' in favour of Cork-Limerick motorway project

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, Paschal Donohoe

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that Fine Gael would “argue very firmly” in favour of the Cork-Limerick motorway project while the Green Party’s deputy leader Catherine Martin said that if commitments and investment had already been made then such projects would be likely to go ahead.

Their comments come after Green Party TD Ossian Smyth had suggested in a tweet on Thursday that the long-awaited construction of the Cork-Limerick would not happen during the lifetime of the next government.

Mr Donohoe told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show that the project was at “a very early stage” and that Fine Gael would prefer to see rail services between the two cities improved.

“In relation to particular road projects, I and my party remain absolutely committed to road projects such as the Cork to Limerick project.

"We will be very firmly arguing the case for projects like that and indeed, in the programme for government, it makes it very, very clear that the government supports road projects that are about how we join up cities in our country.

Later on RTÉ radio’s Today with Sarah McInerney show, when asked about Mr Donohoe’s comments on the M20, Ms Martin said: “if there's commitments there and investment has gone in then those roads will go ahead, but have got the commitment to €350m - 10 percent in cycling and walking and the 2:1 public transport now over roads, that's where we need to be.”

Mr Donohoe said that if “this particular coalition” was formed there would be three different parties with differing views on important issues

The €4billion to €6bilion the carbon tax was expected to generate over the next five years would be used for capital projects that reduce emissions.

“We are prioritising the use of that money for things that can help us get to the target of seven percent,” he added.