Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke has said that comments made by Green Party TD Ossian Smyth and the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe have cast doubt on the construction of the M20 motorway.

Teachta O’Rourke said Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party need to clarify which projects will be going ahead in the next five years as the Programme for Government leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

He said;

“Yesterday we heard from the Green Party that the much-needed M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick will not be developed by the would-be incoming government, whilst this morning the Minister for Finance again cast doubt on the project saying it is subject to negotiation.

“This is completely unacceptable. The M20 motorway is a crucial piece of infrastructure and it cannot be delayed any further.

“Page 113 of Fianna Fáil’s general election manifesto specifically states ‘we will build the M20’. Unsurprisingly, it appears they are content to renege on this promise in order to get into the Taoiseach’s office.

“Fianna Fáil also promised the electorate they would invest €50 million in the N40 and M11 while increasing the road maintenance budget by €147 million. Nothing of the sort is included in the Programme for Government.

“Fianna Fáil aren’t even in Government Buildings and they are up to their old tricks; promising one thing but doing another.

“Fine Gael also appear happy to go back on their commitment to this important project.

“The three parties involved need to clarify what is going ahead within the next five years and what is being scrapped, as these comments and the ambiguous Programme for Government leave a question mark over other vital infrastructure projects.”