Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Daly for raising this Topical Issue matter, which I will be answering on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar. The Government's policy in respect of the funding of capital projects to 2016, including the development of road links, is set out in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016: Medium Term Exchequer Framework document. Due to the overall reduction in funding for transport infrastructure, the priority until 2016 is to protect investment made to date and to maintain safety standards. I imagine everyone appreciates that this should be a priority.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, has overall responsibility for policy and funding in respect of the national roads programme. As the Deputy has correctly pointed out, the planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the NRA under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Furthermore, within the NRA capital budget the assessment and prioritisation of individual national roads projects such as the N71 is a matter for the NRA in the first instance in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act.

Given the heavily reduced budgets in transport, the priority now for Exchequer funds must be maintenance of the existing network, and this is of itself a struggle. Other than several public private partnership projects which are being progressed under the Government's July 2012 stimulus package, no major Exchequer-funded projects are scheduled to go to construction in the coming years. The NRA has a budget of €155.9 million for improvement and maintenance works on the national roads network in 2014. The reality is that the available funds do not match the amount of work required, and this is regrettable. For this reason it is not possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects. Overall, the NRA has allocated in excess of €12 million to Cork County Council in 2014 for various national road projects and works. These projects include €15,000 under the minor works programme for a pedestrian crossing on the N71 in Bandon and €450,000 for pavement and minor works on the N71 from the abbey to the square in Bantry. While this is the case for now, funding constraints mean that the development of routes such as the N71 has had to be deferred, although the improvement of national routes remains a longer-term objective of the Government.

As regards future funding under the next capital programme, the aim will be to develop a balanced package of measures covering infrastructure maintenance, safety schemes and targeted development projects throughout the transport sector for inclusion in the next capital programme. Of course the actual composition of such a package will depend on the level of funding available. Deputy Daly has asked several questions in this regard and I will bring all those questions to the Department and the NRA.

I know the N71 well, as the Deputy is aware, and I have had to traverse it many times. I take on board the Deputy's points in respect of Cork, funding by the NRA throughout the previous decade and the level of funding that went to Cork vis-à-vis other place by comparison. They are fair points and I will reflect them to the Department and the NRA. If Deputy Daly does not get an answer from the NRA within a couple of weeks, he should come back to me because I will be putting the question to them on Deputy Daly's behalf, as requested.

Deputy Daly suggested the matter should be a political priority but it is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Varadkar. However, I will ensure the Minister gets to know Deputy Daly's concerns on the issue. Responsibility for this issue lies with the NRA and the prioritising of projects lies with the NRA as well. Having said that, the NRA is responsible to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and has to take on board the Department's and the Minister's thinking. Therefore, I encourage Deputy Daly to continue his campaign for the N71. It is not the first time he has raised the matter. I congratulate Deputy Daly on continually raising it because it is a road that needs work.

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