Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, alongside Ministers of State Seán Canney and Jerry Buttimer, has announced that the Department of Transport will allocate over €1.5 billion in Exchequer funding for national, regional and local roads in 2026. The package represents a 13% increase compared to 2025, signalling a strong commitment to upgrading infrastructure, enhancing road safety and strengthening connectivity across Ireland.
Nearly €800 million has been designated for national roads. This includes €659 million in capital funding delivered through Transport Infrastructure Ireland, €104 million for national roads under Public Private Partnerships, and approximately €33 million allocated to local authorities for routine maintenance. The funding will prioritise protecting and renewing the existing national road network, including road safety upgrades, pavement and bridge renewal, and climate resilience measures. It will also advance major projects identified under the National Development Plan and the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, such as the Adare Bypass, the N5 Ballaghaderreen–Scramoge project, and the M28 Cork–Ringaskiddy route.
An allocation of €718 million has been approved for regional and local roads, enabling the maintenance of approximately 2,800 kilometres of roadway and improvements to around 2,330 kilometres. This funding includes €50 million for strategic road improvement projects and €20 million in specific grants for smaller-scale works such as bridge rehabilitation, junction reconfiguration and traffic congestion relief schemes. A total of 99 projects will receive support in 2026, including safety upgrades and bridge rehabilitation works in counties Galway, Cork and Mayo.
Additional allocations include €16.5 million for 294 projects under the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Programme and €14 million for 280 low-cost road safety initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable road users. A new two-year work programme under the Community Involvement Scheme will also begin in 2026, supported by €16.2 million in funding, reflecting an increase from the previous year and reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting local road improvements.
The government emphasised that advancing major national road projects currently under construction, while safeguarding and modernising the broader road network, remains a key priority. The funding is expected to enhance connectivity, support economic development, reduce congestion in towns and communities, and contribute to improved road safety in line with Ireland’s broader transport and safety strategies.
