Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has announced that the Department of Transport will provide €633 million in funding for national roads in 2025. This allocation includes €502 million from Exchequer Capital funds through Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), an additional €98 million for Public Private Partnerships, and approximately €33 million for local authorities to carry out regular maintenance. 

The total funding represents a €92 million increase compared to the 2024 allocation, and further increases are expected throughout the remainder of the current National Development Plan (NDP) decade. 

TII will distribute the funding to support the following objectives:

• Protection and renewal of the existing national road network.

• Progression of major new road projects that are in or near construction.

• Progression of major new road projects in the development pipeline.

The allocation for the protection and renewal of the existing network will fund road safety improvements, pavement renewal, bridge and structure maintenance, and measures to enhance the network's resilience to severe weather events. 

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Major new national road projects receiving funding include the Adare Bypass, the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge, and the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy. 

Minister O’Brien emphasised the government's commitment to developing the national road network, stating: "Funding new roads and advancing the national road projects in the current NDP is a priority for this government. The allocations I’m announcing today will enable multiple new road projects on the national road network to progress, including those that are at or close to construction. This will improve regional connectivity, support economic development, and remove traffic from towns and communities across the country – making the roads safer for all users."

He highlighted projects like the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge and the Adare Bypass as evidence of this commitment.

Minister of State Seán Canney stressed the importance of safeguarding existing roads, noting: "Our first priority should be to safeguard our existing national roads to ensure that they are in a safe and robust condition for all road users, including freight traffic. Over the lifetime of the NDP, €2.9 billion has been earmarked for this purpose. This funding is also used for measures to improve road safety on the network, which is vital for the implementation of our Road Safety Strategy."

Minister of State Jerry Buttimer acknowledged the role of the national road network in rural connectivity: "A safe and efficient National Road Network supports rural residents, allowing them to connect to work, education and healthcare. In addition, it also facilitates the many bus services that now serve rural Ireland. The funding announced today will serve to safeguard and improve this vital national asset for all our citizens."