Almost €31.5 million in funding has been announced for local and regional roads in Cavan and Monaghan.
That's an increase of almost €2 million on last year's allocation.
Among the projects to be funded is €1.2 million for the Brackley Bridge replacement project outside Castleblayney and €130,000 for preparatory works for the East-West route from Dundalk to Sligo.
Monaghan is to receive just over €16 million this year - an increase of €1.5 million compared with 2020.
Cavan is receiving just under €15.5 million. That's up €300,000 on last year's allocation.
There have been calls for an increase in roads funding for the Northern Sound region due to the lack of viable public transport options in the area and local TD Niamh Smyth says it's good to see Minister Eamon Ryan listened to the concerns locally:
The funding has been widely welcomed across Cavan and Monaghan today, with local Minister Heather Humphreys saying it will "make a huge difference to our road network".
TD Brendan Smith has also welcomed today's announcement:
Senator Joe O'Reilly has said the funding "is not only important for connectivity, but crucial to ensuring safety on our roads, reducing road collisions and protecting lives".
