Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Lawlor and Heydon for raising this matter with me. Both Deputies have raised it with me persistently. They raise it continually with my Department and me to emphasise the importance of the project, both nationally and locally. At some point in the future, when progress is made thereon, it will be in no small part due to the efforts of both Deputies consequent to their having continually raised the matter with me and my Department, and on the Dáil floor through parliamentary questions and Topical Issue debates.

As the Deputies are aware, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding regarding the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, such as the Naas bypass widening, is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. The assessment and prioritisation of individual national road projects is a matter for the NRA within its capital budget and in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act.

With regard to the interchange and bypass referred to by both Deputies, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources, supplemented by State road grants. The selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is, therefore, a matter for the local authority.

Owing to the national financial position, there have been very large reductions in roads expenditure in recent years. Funding in 2008 was €2.3 billion while funding this year is around €730 million for the national, regional and local road network. The reality, as I have stated publicly, is that the available funds do not match the amount of work that needs to be done to maintain existing projects and roads while addressing the growing demand both Deputies have raised with me. For this reason it is not possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects. The focus has to be on maintaining and repairing the existing road network. The Deputies will be aware of the great importance of road safety, and that is why I have devoted all funds available to me to maintaining existing roads before prioritising new projects. Only a small number of new national projects have been progressed to construction stage.

It is important to reiterate that the role of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads is to supplement the funds of councils. I am aware that the projects raised, which have considerable merit, are interconnected and have a substantial overall cost. The objective of the M7 Naas bypass widening scheme is to increase capacity and to improve traffic flow on the Dublin-Cork road corridor. The interchange and bypass schemes are intended to enhance connectivity between the M7 and the towns of Naas and Sallins. The interchange will connect to the proposed R407 Sallins bypass to the north and the existing roads to the south. The receipt of planning permission for these projects last September was a very positive and important development. Unfortunately, the current financial realities are such that the budgets proposed for my Department for 2016 and 2017 indicate that capital funding will continue to be very tight, and my ability to progress new projects and PPPs is limited.

I acknowledge it is important to restore over time capital funding for the transport sector to ensure that infrastructure is maintained but, as of now, I am not in a position to give a commitment in regard to funding of the projects in question, although I acknowledge their national and local importance.

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