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

I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this matter. I have had the opportunity to respond to him about this on a number of occasions. It is a matter he is pursuing very strongly on behalf of his constituents and all of the employers in the area. As he has acknowledged, the project has significance beyond County Kildare and his constituency. Indeed, some of my constituents have raised the issue with me because it has a significant impact on one's ability to get up and down an important road in our region.

I also appreciate the Deputy's comments about the big changes that were made at Newlands Cross. It has had an effect on the ability of commuters to get through an important junction in our road network. I commend everybody involved in it because the project came in below budget and on time.

The Deputy is fully aware of my role in regard to the projects. While I am responsible for policy on these matters, it is the National Roads Authority that makes decisions, in consultation with local authorities, on particular projects. The Osberstown interchange and Sallins bypass fall within the remit of the local authority in the area. Works on these roads are funded from the local authority's own resources, supplemented by funding made available by the State. The Naas bypass widening is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Act 1993.

The Deputy is well aware of the financial circumstances we have come through and has spoken about them many times. In 2008, funding for local, national and regional roads stood at €2.3 billion. This year, there is €730 million. That said, however, I am very aware that the projects the Deputy is raising, and which Deputy Wall has raised with me on a number of occasions, have very considerable merit. They are interconnected but would have a significant total cost.

The objective of the Naas bypass widening scheme is to increase capacity and improve traffic flow on a national road, the Dublin-Cork road. The interchange and Sallins bypass projects are both intended to increase connectivity between the same road and the towns of Naas and Sallins. I am very much aware of the job creation potential that exists, particularly considering the Kerry Group premises near Millennium Park and the work that is under way there. Unfortunately, because of the continuing financial challenges the country faces, we are in a constrained position regarding the number of new projects that can be progressed. I do not have funding available to make progress on the projects under discussion but I assure the Deputy that I am very much aware of their importance. I am very much aware of their importance to the Deputy’s county and what they could do to promote job creation. I face considerable pressure to try to deliver particular projects across the country. I assure the Deputy that I am fully aware of the regional and national significance of the projects in question. The Deputy has emphasised that very clearly to me here this evening.

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