Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe. All Members of the House will be well aware that the Minister has responsibility for overall policy and funding of the national roads programme.

The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects are matters, in the first instance, for the NRA in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act. Because of the national financial position, public funding for Ireland's roads has fallen radically since reaching a peak of €1.75 billion in 2007. The allocation for the NRA for improvement and maintenance works in 2014 is €371 million, including recent stimulus funding of €23 million, which is comparable to that available for national roads in 1998.

The reality is that the available funds do not match the amount of work required. For this reason, it has not been possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects and the main focus has to be on the maintenance and repair of roads. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Minister will have to continue to prioritise the maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure and the scope for progressing new projects will very much depend on the level of future funding available.

The N21 Adare bypass route was intended to run to the south of Adare. The compulsory purchase order and environmental impact statement documentation were submitted to An Bord Pleanála for approval on 4 March 2010. On 18 October 2012 An Bord Pleanála made a decision to refuse the proposed road scheme to bypass Adare. Principally, although not exclusively, the decision was based on the fact that the Adare bypass route would:

...if permitted and constructed, constitute isolated infrastructure, would not represent a coherent approach to the provision of major roads infrastructure and, furthermore, would not have the potential to fulfil the functions envisaged for the scheme. The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

While it cannot be argued that traffic is not an issue for residents and businesses in Adare, given the rejection of the preferred route by An Bord Pleanála, the National Roads Authority and the local authority have to assess options on the basis of that decision. The scheme will have to return to route selection stage and the Minister understands Limerick City and County Council has removed planning restrictions on the southern route. The council has initiated a study to examine the various options to better connect Foynes Port to the wider road network. This study is ongoing and the council is likely to be in a position to confirm the preferred route by mid-2015, at which time it will be able to confirm whether Adare will be impacted on by the scheme.

One concern raised by the Deputy in discussions with the previous Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, was related to the need for pre-planning application consultation with An Bord Pleanála on major road projects. There is no provision in either the roads Acts or the planning Acts for the NRA or road authorities to enter into pre-planning application consultation with An Bord Pleanála on proposed route development. However, the planning Acts make provision for pre­planning consultation on various other strategic infrastructural developments, including transport related projects, with An Bord Pleanála prior to the submission of a planning application. As indicated to the Deputy in June, the Minister is considering the inclusion of an amendment to the Roads Bill 2014 on Committee Stage relating to the proposed merger of the NRA and the Railway Procurement Agency. This would enable the NRA and road authorities to engage in pre-planning consultations with An Bord Pleanála on proposed road developments. It would provide the NRA or the road authority, as the case may be, with a formal mechanism to obtain the preliminary views of An Bord Pleanála on a proposed road development before submitting an application to An Bord Pleanála for approval under section 51 of the Roads Act 1993, as amended.

I am uncertain whether that answers all of the Deputy's questions, but I imagine the proposed amendment would be helpful.

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