N71 'not fit to be called a national road', says West Cork councillor

One councillor said: 'Perhaps the N in N71 stands for neglect.'

Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District heard that the N71 was subsiding 'to the left and right'. File picture: Denis Minihane

Dangerous subsidence on a major national route in West Cork is causing vehicles to be “pulled towards the ditch” and will result in a serious accident unless the issue is addressed, according to a local councillor.

Independent Ireland councillor Daniel Sexton proposed a motion to Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District that said: “I am calling on Cork County Council to write to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) requesting the immediate undertaking of essential road surfacing works on the N71 between the junctions with the L8016 Bohonagh and L8020 Knocknageehy, as matter of urgent road safety.”

Mr Sexton said the road in question was subsiding “to the left and right” and warned that “someone is going to be injured or hurt” if the issue was not addressed.

Supporting the motion Fianna Fáil's Joe Carroll said he attended a recent meeting between Cork councillors and TII officials in Dublin and was “appalled at how we were treated”. Mr Carroll said it was his belief that the N71 and West Cork was not a priority for TII. 

He said councillors could write to TII about the issue but they “might as well be writing to Santa Claus”. Mr Carroll said councillor Sexton was right to raise the issue and added that in his opinion the N71 was “not fit to be called a national road”. 

Danny Collins of Independent Ireland agreed. He said plans for a bypass of Bantry had been discussed for “40 or 50 years” adding “how much longer do we have to wait?” 

Area engineer John Ahern said: “A meeting between TII officials and a deputation of Cork County Council, including representatives from the West Cork MD, took place at the end of October where it is understood that this matter was discussed. While TII are aware of the request, resurfacing works are undertaken on a priority basis as funding allows. We await funding allocations for 2026.” 

Mr Sexton said he was “disappointed but not surprised” by the response. He added: “Perhaps the N in N71 stands for neglect. When you have a road tapering to the ditch it needs action. If Cork County Council were responsible for this road they would see to it. That section is an accident waiting to happen. It’s dangerous, it’s lethal.” 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme