Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Labour Party for affording me time to contribute to this debate. While this Bill deals with a relatively minor matter, there are significant issues to be resolved in regard to roads and transport in general. For example, the strike by some Dublin Bus workers has contributed to even worse traffic congestion than normal in the city. Hopefully, this dispute will be resolved now that it has been referred to the Labour Court.

While an improved public transport system is clearly required to discourage commuters from using cars, the generally accepted solution to traffic problems is to build new and better roads and, where possible, to bypass major centres of population. In conjunction with an improved railway transport system, this is the ideal for the future. The development of new roads has been successful in many instances. However, several projects are behind schedule.

In my county, work has yet to begin on several projects in respect of which commitments were made. For instance, work was supposed to commence on the Castleisland bypass this year but has now been put back to 2008. For several years, Oireachtas Members and other public representatives in the area have been campaigning for the construction of this bypass. We encountered ongoing difficulties in our dealings with both the Government and the NRA. The NRA did not consider it a priority, it claimed, unless directed so by the Government. I spoke to people in Castleisland whose lives and businesses are impacted greatly by the traffic congestion. Motorists frequently find that it takes half an hour to get through the town.

Thankfully, in the lead in to the election in May and following our representations, a political commitment to proceed with the bypass was given and agreed to by the NRA. In August, however, Deputy Deenihan, Deputy Tom McEllistrim and I met representatives of the NRA who told us they were awaiting funding from the Government. The former Minister, meanwhile, referred all queries back to the NRA. The commitment is there but it must be delivered upon. It is of great importance to people in Castleisland.

My constituency colleagues and I meet the manager of Kerry County Council on a regular basis, with his senior executive officials. There is major concern on their part about the lack of an adequate infrastructure to facilitate investment in the area. I appreciate that north Kerry is not alone in this. In areas that have suffered because of a lack of investment, a decline in farming and the virtual wiping out of the fishing industry, it is vital to attract investment. The importance of this cannot be overstated, especially in peripheral seaboard counties. The infrastructure must be in place to facilitate that investment. However, there is great concern on the part of the manager of Kerry County Council and his executive that the funding required to develop road infrastructure may not be available.

I acknowledge that much has been done in recent years. The upgrade of the Killarney-Tralee road from Ballycarty Cross to Tralee is welcome, as is the ongoing work on the Tralee-Listowel road. However, access to the region must be improved. Investment must be secured that will complement local industries, particularly in rural farming communities where farming is now only a part-time occupation. Such communities require means of diversifying that allow people to remain living and working in their areas. Infrastructure is vital in this regard.

Every Member has experience of putting questions about roads to the Minister for Transport only for those questions to be referred to the NRA. However, ultimate responsibility for funding such projects rests with the Government. We are elected representatives and all of us do our best for our respective areas. We must have more of an input into these vital projects and we must hold the Government to account in providing the necessary funding. It must not continue to hide behind the NRA. The Government is ultimately responsible for failings in this area.

There is a pressing need for the Tralee ring road project to be completed. Austin Stack Park is on course to be relocated to the former Ballybeggan racecourse, where the GAA hopes to construct an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 15,000. The road infrastructure must be in place to accommodate that level of people movement and the associated traffic congestion. Although it is included in the Government's road programme, there is no certainty as to when the ring road will be completed. It is of enormous importance to Tralee. From Monday to Friday, morning and evening, the traffic is absolutely congested. It has to be seen to be believed. The town centre has suffered as a result of this as retail units increasingly move out of town, thus eroding the heart of the locality.

The proposal to bring large retail units to the centre of Tralee by purchasing what is now Austin Stack Park and the John Mitchels GAA pitch is welcome. The plans are in place and I understand the planning application will be submitted in coming days. There is great potential for the town in this development. I cannot stress enough the necessity of completing the ring road to facilitate that. There is a Government Member in the area and the Ceann Comhairle is also from north Kerry. Areas such as north Kerry, south Kerry, Clare and so on are crying out for this type of investment. It is of great importance to local economies in keeping people employed locally and in preventing any escalation of emigration.

The most recent issue to cause problems for the Minister for Transport was the announcement about the regulations governing drivers with provisional licences. If the original proposal had been followed through, 400,000 drivers would have been effectively put off the road within days, with devastating effects on the economy. Thankfully, however, common sense prevailed. While we all support the principle and implementation of a road safety plan, we must ensure that motorists with provisional licences are able to undertake a test in time for next May. It is incumbent upon the Government to ensure this is the case.

There is a great need for funding for the maintenance of what are variously called boreens, back roads, non-national roads or local roads. A recent survey showed that most fatal road accidents occur on these types of roads. It is mind-boggling that roads only suitable for travelling on at 20 km/h or 30 km/h have speed limits of 100 km/h. This is absolutely ridiculous. The system must be overhauled without delay. The worst tragedies contributing to the carnage on our roads have taken place in such circumstances.

As a councillor, I argued for years that road safety and driver education should be included in the school curriculum. Most drivers develop bad habits at a young age. Provision should be made to educate young people about good driving habits. That is very important and I advocate that this speedily be made part of the school curriculum.

Another aspect I would raise are the community involvement and local improvement schemes. These bring about tremendous work in the more rural and less noticed parts of our counties. They should be continued and, if possible, given 100% funding or something of a similar nature. Ordinary people can contribute to such schemes.

I am concerned that if one person objects to a community involvement scheme on a road where eight people are living, the process can be held up. Something must be done about this and legislation should be introduced to deal with such a problem. Neighbours may not like each other, may fall out or have grievances going back 20, 30 or 40 years. Such people can stop a process that would benefit an entire area. Any required legislation should be introduced so that when a majority of people on a road want work to be carried out, it will be done without one person holding up the process.

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