Around 200 submissions lodged on Donegal €800m TEN‑T road project

Approximately 200 submissions have been received on Donegal’s €800 million TEN‑T road project as Donegal County Council prepares its response ahead of the 23 October 2026 deadline.

The council has written to the Department of Public Expenditure and Infrastructure requesting that the scheme be designated as Critical Infrastructure, a status supported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Such designation would place the project at the top of the queue for consideration by all public bodies, accelerating existing approval processes without bypassing any steps.

The latest update follows a query from Letterkenny Councillor Ciarán Brogan about the status and timetable for the TEN‑T project, which includes the Letterkenny‑to‑Manorcunningham relief road, the Bonagee Link bridge over the River Swilly, the Manorcunningham‑to‑Lifford section and the Ballybofey‑Stranorlar bypass.

The TEN‑T Priority Route Improvement Project was formally published in May, commencing the statutory planning process with An Coimisiún Pleanála. Public consultation closed on 10 July, covering compulsory purchase order (CPO) and land matters as well as environmental issues.

With an overall cost estimated between €780 million and €915 million, the scheme will involve the acquisition of about 1,500 acres, affecting roughly 475 property owners. This includes 34 homes, four commercial parcels, five uninhabited homes and the land required for the road network.

If An Coimisiún Pleanála grants approval, the council will move to land acquisition, advanced works and the construction tendering process, with the earliest possible start date for building set for 2028, subject to funding and procurement.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Sergei Starostin / Pexels.