A €4 million boost in funding for the N71 has been announced as part of the government’s 2026 Roads Funding Allocation.
Money for works at Innishannon, Bandon, Bantry and Ballylickey have been included today, with further allocation for other roads around West Cork.
Cork County Council received the highest share of the total national allocation (17.6%), with over €200 million secured and almost €80 million of that going towards local and regional roads.
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In a significant development, €100,000 has been allocated for a feasibility study for a bypass for Innishannon.
A further €100,000 was announced for the continuation of the Bantry bypass development.
The Bandon southern relief road extension will receive €650,000, and €3 million will go towards improving the pavement in Ballylickey.
Cork South West Deputy and Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan said he wanted to commend Cork County Council for putting in these applications.
'The National route has been under-invested in for years. Now the council are really taking seriously the work of getting these big projects shovel ready,' he said.
He welcomed the money allocated for a study for a bypass for the village of Innishannon.
'People will know Innishannon as a stunning village, and the gateway to West Cork. But it’s also known for its long tailbacks and traffic queues, especially in the mornings and the evenings. This funding allocated to Cork County Council will allow them to come up with and design a bypass. So hopefully, traffic jams and long queues of traffic in Innishannon will become a thing of the past.'
Senator Noel O’Donovan (FG) said ‘significant funding has been needed for the N71 for so long and we had not seen the delivery until now.
‘People have been frustrated for years from sitting in traffic in Innishannon, and then following it into Bandon evening after evening. People have been calling out for proper investment and attention to this massive congestion issue for years.’
Additionally, Leap pedestrian crossing, and Bandon Poachers pedestrian crossing, will each receive €50,000, as will road safety improvement schemes in Innishannon.
