Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me and Deputy Heydon to raise this issue. I also appreciate the Minister taking time out from his busy schedule to give us a response. This project concerns upgrading the N7, including the Osberstown interchange and the Sallins bypass. If the Minister does not mind, we will group them all together because in Kildare we look upon them as being part of one package.

The N7 has been upgraded from two lanes to three lanes as far as Naas, but then comes into a two-lane road. This has caused serious congestion, particularly at peak traffic times. As a result of that congestion, there is increased traffic going through the villages of Kill and Johnstown which have been bypassed since the early 1960s. The planning on this upgrade has been passed by An Bord Pleanála because it is a strategic piece of infrastructure. That was welcomed last September, but we now need funding to progress this upgrade further.

The economic benefit of this is quite clear. The National Road Design Office has explained that the development is justified when it is at an economic benefit rating level of one. The Sallins bypass is at level 17, while the Naas bypass can be up to 15. The N7 is the second busiest road in the country after the M50. The interchange at Osberstown has the potential to create 6,000 jobs in the north-west quadrant of Naas. Anybody passing by can the see the development there by the Kerry Group and so the necessary infrastructure for the Osberstown interchange is vitally important in that respect.

We are seeking a commitment for multi-annual funding for 2016 to 2018 because this project will take about 18 months to complete.

5 o’clock

This project will take about 18 months to complete. At present, the NRDO hopes it will be able to make further progress on it.

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