Sinn Féin representatives have demanded that government deliver the necessary funding to allow the projects of the N2 road in County Monaghan to progress to the next stages.
Local TD Matt Carthy joined local councillors and his party's MEP, Chris MacManus on Friday evening last to discuss how the party could exert maximum pressure on government to deliver this key infrastructure for the border region. This followed an earlier meeting between Monaghan County Council and local Oireachtas members.
Deputy Carthy said the funding allocation announced for the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney Bypass scheme for 2023 amounted to just €600,000 - much less than what Monaghan County Council require to advance the project.
Meanwhile the N2 Clontibret to the border road scheme, having been denied any funding at all in 2022 has been allocated €2.5million but this is dependent on match funding from the EU Connecting Europe Facility added the Cavan Monaghan TD.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Deputy Carthy said; "The current government really has a disgraceful attitude towards regional transport links and the border region in particular.
"The decision to curtail funding to the N2 road network is a political one driven by Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan - but he is getting away with it because his colleagues in government from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are not standing up to him.
"County Monaghan has incredibly limited public transport availability. There is no rail network in this region and bus services are naturally restricted. As such, our local economy requires a fit-for-purpose road network.
"The N2 road alongside the A5 has been considered in several Government documents and plans to be a crucial artery and economic driver for both the Central Border and the north-western regions of the country. However, unilaterally, the funding for the next phase of the Clontibret to the Border section of that scheme was withdrawn last year.
"This year the allocation towards this road is dependent on EU match funding. The allocation of €600,000 towards the Ardee to Castleblayney scheme will only cover expenditure to date which means that there will be no advancement of the project this year."
