Eamon Ryan prioritising Castlemartyr bypass ahead of Midleton road

Transport Minister said there isn't 'that much through traffic' in Midleton as the town has already been bypassed to the south

Castlemartyr. File picture: Eddie O'Hare

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan will be prioritising the Castlemartyr bypass ahead of the final phase of the Midleton northern bypass.

Cork County Council recently asked for priority approval for funding from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to upgrade the Midleton to Carrigtwohill (N25) road.

However, construction is still unlikely to get under way until at least 2027.

Mr Ryan said there isn't "that much through traffic" in Midleton as the town has already been bypassed to the south.

"Castlemartyr, its main street has all that that traffic coming from Waterford to Cork so I think that probably would come ahead of Midleton," the Green Party leader said.

He added: "I think we've got loads of these incredible 19th-century market towns. Each of them would benefit from becoming this really attractive place to live and work and shop and so on and by taking the through traffic out you really enhance that, so yeah, I'm unashamedly saying we should really push."

The Irish Examiner reported earlier this month that Cork County Council had sought priority funding to upgrade the N25 section between Midleton and Carrigtwohill, which TII has previously approved.

However, it was later denied by Mr Ryan, much to the anger of councillors representing the East Cork region.

Niall Healy, the council’s director of roads, said it has again applied for funding for that upgrade, but that engineers are working on a plan for more minor safety works on it. 

Mr Healy admitted he had "no idea” if the council would get funding for the major upgrade.