Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Barry for his presentation. I thank him and Mr. O'Neill for being here. I also thank Mr. Barry for his ongoing assistance to the committee. He is one of those public servants who is always available to take a call and he provides information both directly and through parliamentary questions. Public servants are often criticised in this House and outside it, but Mr. Barry is certainly one of those who deserves credit for the way in which he interacts with us. I am not buttering him up to give him a kick, lest he might fear that.

The Vice Chairman raised the issue of underfunding. Can Mr. Barry quantify the gap between what the authority is getting and what it needs to maintain the network to the level at which it just gets by, or what it needs to maintain the network to prevent it from deteriorating to a point at which it costs much more to upgrade? There was a seven-year rolling programme, possibly for non-national and secondary roads. It was certainly always the case that local authorities would identify a rolling seven-year programme. That was extended before without any major impact. It would be helpful if Mr. Barry could give us some guidance on that.

I know Deputy Kitt wishes to raise the issue of the Gort to Tuam scheme. It is a really important part of the need to roll out the Atlantic corridor connecting Limerick and Galway and assisting Galway in its hinterland. It is hugely important for the development of Shannon Airport in the mid-west which is a significant driver for economic growth there. This piece of the network is essential so we would like to see that expedited. I know Mr. Barry has been working on it and anything he can tell us in that regard would be helpful.

My next question concerns the Newlands Cross flyover.

A number of committee members have received significant representations from a number of householders who in my view, having visited the site and met them, are experiencing and will experience a very significant reduction in the amenity of their homes as a result of the project to be constructed. It went through the statutory process and they had the opportunity to make various submissions. Notwithstanding that, more work could be done in abatement or to try to insulate their homes better. I ask Mr. Barry to consider a further round of discussions and conciliation. Having spoken to them, I feel they are a very genuine group of people. They know the road is going ahead, but there is work that can be done. In the past the NRA has worked with local communities in a way that ensures people are not unnecessarily or inordinately discommoded.

Has the NRA provided the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with any plan as to the levels of funding it will need to retain the network over the next five years? It has provided costings around work it would like to do rather than the essentials.