The long-awaited motorway connecting Cork and Limerick will soon become a reality.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the M20 motorway connecting Cork and Limerick will form a major part of the government’s ten-year capital investment plan.
M20 will link Cork to Limerick and on to Galway. All roads will no longer lead the Dublin. Major part of next capital plan.
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) October 13, 2017
Speaking to the Cork Chamber on Friday, morning, Varadkar confirmed that funding had been secured for the project, which will link Cork and Limerick and connect with the M18 towards Galway, a route that has also been the subject of major recent investment.
The #M20 Cork-Limerick will be part of Govt's 10 Year National Investment Plan @campaignforleo confirms to a packed room #corkchamberatwork
— Cork Chamber (@CorkChamber) October 13, 2017
Breaking: @campaignforleo responds to Chamber call for #M20 – announces funding secured for motorway to progress pic.twitter.com/Pyq4ROXBbJ
— Cork Chamber (@CorkChamber) October 13, 2017
Although the M20 was not mentioned specifically in the budget earlier this week, according to the Limerick Leader, Varadkar told the Cork Chamber that the M20 “will be given the utmost priority in the 10-year capital plan”.
The project is expected to cost €850 million in total and, once it has gone through the route selection and planning phase, it is expected that construction will take two to three years, with the likelihood that it will be completed by 2022.
It won’t be completed for a few years, but the fact that it’s coming down the tracks is great news for users of a road between two of Ireland’s biggest cities.