Planning permission to be sought for new Cork-Limerick road in 2023

Unlike previous iterations, the current plan does not state that the entire road will be a motorway 

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he is pushing for the bypassing towns such as Adare and Croom on the proposed new road. Picture: Denis Minihane

Planning permission for the Cork-Limerick Road project is likely to be sought in 2023, the Government has confirmed.

The long-delayed upgrade to the N20 has been committed to by a number of governments, but is currently in the route planning stage, leaving TDs hopeful that it will happen.

However, unlike previous plans, the recently-announced National Development Plan does not say that the road will be a motorway all the way, with Transport Minister Eamon Ryan saying that option could cost as much as €3 billion.

Mr Ryan said last month that he is "pushing" the idea of improving safety on the road by bypassing towns such as Adare and Croom: 

We push bypasses because they deliver on all key objectives. When you put the bypass in Adare or Croom, you can bring life back to the centre of Croom. You can turn that square around the bank, which is a stunning public realm place. That transforms Croom. 

Taoiseach Mícheál Martin recently told the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party that Mr Ryan "does not like big roads", but TDs from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have said the project must proceed to improve connectivity between the two cities, with many favouring the motorway option.

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said: “Work is progressing on the M20 project, which is currently at the planning and design stage and is going through the process of route selection.

"This has involved public consultation and we expect an announcement on a preferred route corridor in early 2022.

"Once the preferred route is selected it will then go to the detailed design stage and the preparation of a business case for government. That’s likely in early 2023, and if approved it then goes into planning."