Mattie McGrath: Calls out delay on M24 and Tipperary bypass
Mattie McGrath warned that Tipperary town has been forgotten, criticising delays to the M24 and a promised bypass and saying the town is 'choked' with traffic that is harming local business. He accused the government of leaving the town behind and urged action as the scheme remains undeveloped on the eve of an election.
Bypass promises and M24 delay
McGrath recalled promises of an out-of-relief road or bypass and said Minister Ryan had given hope that a bypass would form part of the N24 footprint or be delivered as a separate relief road. He said the M24 is "trudging along ever so slowly" with no clear timeline for funding, design or development.
Traffic pressure and impact on business
He described Tipperary town as "choked with trucks and lorries and cars" from morning to night and warned that the constant congestion prevents businesses from flourishing. McGrath said local infrastructure is "creaking at the seams" under daily heavy traffic.
Local campaigns and historical context
McGrath referenced local efforts, saying Jobs for Tip and March for Tip were organised together 67 years ago with great hope, but that those hopes have been dampened by perceived inaction. He framed the issue as longstanding local disappointment over stalled delivery of promised roads.
Government response and next steps
A deputy minister responded that funding for new roads and bypasses has increased but said the specific cause of delay on this project was not clear. The deputy minister said they would raise the matter with Minister Ryan and colleagues in the Department of Transport to seek further information and progress.
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It's a long way to Tipperary. Well, the Tipperary town has been forgotten by successive governments. We were promised and had great hopes for an out-of-relief road or bypass. The M24 is trudging along ever so slowly and God knows when we'll see it, the funding for it, or see it developed. Tipperary town is choked with trucks and lorries and cars and business can't flourish either there because it's choked with trucks on a daily basis. From morning to early morning to late at night. Infrastructure there is just creaking at the seams. Minister Ryan had given us great hope that we would have a bypass of the town as part of the footprint of the N24 or else a bypass, an out-of-relief road. Nothing has happened. In design or anything else, we're on the eve of an election and Tipperary town is languishing and left behind once again. It's very frustrating. Jobs for Tip and March for Tip all organised together 67 years ago and had great hope. But they've all been dampened and left behind by your government once again. Thank you, Deputy Minister. I know that the money that has been made available for new roads, for bypasses, for the kind of changes that you're referring to, has increased. I'm not sure what is the specific delay behind the project that you're referring to, but I will raise it with Minister Ryan and with my colleagues in the Department of Transport. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.
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