Completion of national motorway-building programme with opening of final phase of M7

Date: 22 December 2010

• Historic day as Ireland’s national motorway building programme is complete

o Costing €8bn billion, built over 10 years
o 750 km of world class motorway
o Connecting Dublin to border, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford

• Final 36 km of M7 opens bypassing towns of Toomevara, Moneygall and Roscrea

Speaking today Minister Dempsey welcomed the opening of the final 36 km of motorway on the M7 signalling the completion of the national motorway building programme. “Today is an historic day. With the opening this afternoon of the final stretch of the M7 the national motorway building programme is now complete on time and in budget. I set out the plans for this programme 10 years ago when I was the then Minister for the Environment and Local Government. It gives me great pleasure to be the Minister responsible on the day this ambitious programme of work is officially completed. The national motorway programme took 10 years and €8 billion to complete. We now have 750 km of world standard motorways linking Dublin to the Border, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. These motorways are saving lives, slashing journey times, facilitating business, improving the quality of life of those who use them and those who live in the bypassed villages on towns along their course. The NRA estimates the direct economic benefits of the motorway network at €24 billion, based on net present value, an estimate of all benefits now and into the future minus the cost.

In 2011 we will spend over €1.2 billion on upgrading and maintaining our important road infrastructure. This investment will continue to contribute significantly to supporting our national competitiveness, job creation and to the achievement of more balanced regional development well into the future.

For the people of Toomevara, Moneygall, Roscrea and the surrounding area the opening today of this final 36 km of the M7 is long awaited and particularly welcome. This new stretch of motorway will take thousands of vehicles out of their town and village centres and it will cut 10 minutes off average journey times.“

Mr. Peter Malone, chairman of the NRA said: "The opening of the M7 Castletown to Nenagh scheme completes the entire 180km Limerick to Dublin inter-urban motorway. It also completes the new national motorway network as outlined in the Government’s Transport 21 plan by connecting our nation’s capital to the five major urban centres of Belfast (M1/Border), Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. As in all the recently completed motorways there are a number of direct and indirect benefits, those specifically associated with the completion of the M7 corridor include enhanced road safety, direct access to Shannon International Airport, improved quality of life, greater tourism opportunities and increased economic activity. Additionally, this opening highlights an important accomplishment for the Government, the National Roads Authority and our local authority partners because collectively we have delivered on behalf of the taxpayer 738km of modern motorway that will be of significant benefit for generations to come.

ENDS