Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is utterly unacceptable and I take the Deputy's point that it is a spectacularly tragic figure.

I took a commencement matter in the Seanad concerning the N2 on 7 February. I am happy to reiterate the points I made at that debate.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding relating to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects, such as the N2, is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TIl in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act.

The Government's capital investment plan, Building on Recovery - Infrastructure and Capital Investment, provides the strategic and financial framework for the TII national roads programme for the period from 2016 to 2022. As Minister, I have to work within the capital budgets included in the plan and TIl, in turn, has to prioritise works on the basis of the funding available to it.

TII allocates funding specifically for safety works based on its analysis of the network, including the N2. This year TIl has allocated approximately €17 million for such works. Under its HD15 programme, safety works are based on an analysis of accident density across the network and those sections of the network with considerably higher than average accident densities are selected for analysis. Sections of road which are amenable to engineering solutions are prioritised for treatment. In addition, TIl operates a HD17 programme based on road safety inspection reports. These reports indicate which issues, for example signing, lining or safety barriers, need to be addressed on different sections of road and programmes are drawn up to deal with the priority issues.

Good pavements also contribute to road safety and TII has allocated approximately €50 million for pavements in 2017. In the context of the TII programmes, road pavement overlay and safety schemes were completed on the N2 in 2016, including sections of the route at Balrenny to Knockmooney in County Meath and Emyvale village in County Monaghan. Safety works at Blakestown Cross in County Louth have recently been completed. Within the funding available to the organisation, I understand TII is also hoping to progress minor road improvement schemes on the N2 during the period of the capital plan. These schemes involve the realignment or widening of the existing single carriageway road and include the N2 Monaghan to Emyvale improvement phase 3 scheme, where land acquisition and finalisation of tender documentation is ongoing.

TIl has also advised that Monaghan County Council appointed consultants last year to review the safety aspects of the existing N2 between Ardee and Monaghan. This report identified short and long-term measures that could be implemented along the route. The findings of this review are currently being considered by Monaghan County Council. I imagine they should now be considered as a matter of urgency.

As regards major schemes, the proposed N2 Slane bypass has been included in the capital plan among those schemes planned to commence during the plan period. Funding totalling €1.2 million has been provided by TIl in 2017 to prepare a new design for the scheme.

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