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

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue with me once again. He acknowledged the work that Deputy Michael Creed has done on this project. I am not being flippant when I say every time I see Deputy Brendan Griffin or Deputy Michael Creed I think of the Ballyvourney to Macroom project. Both Deputies are constantly raising the project with me. The fact that the road is not being progressed in the way the Deputies want is in no way due to a lack of advocacy or support on their part. The project is affected by the financial circumstances in which the country finds itself and which are now beginning to change. At some point in the future we will have the capacity to progress projects like this one. I am aware that the project was approved by An Bord Pleanála in 2011 and I acknowledge that it has considerable merit.

In recognition of this, we have tried to find ways to keep the project active. I have allocated €5 million to the National Roads Authority to continue with land acquisition for the project to allow progress to be made if and when we get to a point where the project in its entirely is capable of progression. There is limited funding available to advance such projects, but this is the kind of project I want to see being advanced. I am very much aware of its regional importance, apart from the benefit to the Deputy's county and constituency which I have had an opportunity to visit with both the Deputy and the Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan. The Deputy made me aware of how important the project was. I have travelled the route privately and I am aware of the acute need for the project.

The Deputy referred to collision cluster statistics for accident black spots. He has mentioned information that has emerged from the National Roads Authority which has analysed collision data for the past three years. This is called the network safety ranking and covered by the authority in compliance with the EU road infrastructure safety management directive. The national road network is broken up in 1 km stretches. The number of collisions involving injury on each 1 km stretch of road is identified, with traffic volumes on that stretch of road. An average collision rate is then calculated. Any section of road which is twice above the average collision rate and on which there are three or more collisions in a three-year period is identified as a collision cluster site. Using this methodology, the authority has identified between 150 and 200 such sites which meet the criteria on an annual basis. These sites are examined by NRA road safety engineers in consultation with the local authorities. The issues involved are broken up and dealt with under the headings of engineering, enforcement and education. The sites on which there is a potential engineering solution are examined further by the local authorities.

That is the background to the information mentioned by the Deputy. I acknowledge his persistent representations on behalf of the project, as well as those of Deputy Michael Creed. While I am not in a position to advance the project in its entirety, my Department is trying to find ways to keep the project active in order that it can be progressed when national circumstances improve.

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