Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I refer to programme A, sustainable mobility – active travel and greenways. Specifically, there has been massive State investment in active travel projects. I reference the R135 project in Ashbourne with a specific focus on value for money, oversight and delivery on time and on budget. This was a project that was initially welcomed but is now despised by the populace in the locality. It is a project that cost €6 million. It commenced in April 2022 and was due to run for 65 weeks until June 2023. The project is still ongoing. It has had a massive impact on traffic and business in the town and on people's mobility in the town. It has had an incredibly negative impact as we are told when canvassing and knocking on doors. For me, it is the perfect example of how significant projects should not be done. It has left a really sour taste in the mouth of the local community. It also has a knock-on effect. This project has essentially overrun by 100%. We do not know the cost overrun. It could be well in excess of 100% overrun but we do not know. We have asked those questions of Meath County Council and we will continue to pursue them but they say, similar to the children's hospital, there are disputes in relation to some of the issues and they are before the courts.

However, we will pursue this and find out exactly what the cost overrun was and why it happened. It also has an impact on other projects. Today, I received a response from the NTA stating that funding for an active travel project in the neighbouring town of Ratoath is not available because of construction inflation and increasing costs associated with these projects. There is frustration about that among local public representatives. It raises the question of the oversight and value for money of these projects and ensuring that contractors and local authorities ensure that projects are rolled out efficiently and there is good oversight of the spending of taxpayers’ money. Is the Minister familiar with this case, or are there other examples he wants to comment on?