James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the officials who have come before the committee and thank them for their ongoing engagement over the past two years since the general election. The bypass issue was a bit of hot topic for me. To start out on a positive note, it is good to see the progress that has been made on Dunkettle and on the Macroom-Ballyvourney bypass. It is transformative for connectivity in the south west. It is also important we are having this discussion. As we know, there is significant pressure on construction-related inflation, which has been very problematic for the Government. Today is a good opportunity for us to ask the Department a number of questions.

Funding certainty for capital infrastructure projects became a hot topic throughout last year and into 2022. My first question is about the ongoing work being done on the NDP. When it comes to key road infrastructure projects in particular, how are we looking for the year ahead? We will see the completion of major schemes, particularly in Cork, where the majority of the major construction of road infrastructure in the State is going on. However, is the N25 upgrade to Castlemartyr and Killeagh, for example, and funding certainty for that and for other major roads schemes, a concern to the Department?