Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand the urgency of this matter and the Deputy's frustration at the lack of progress in addressing it. As he knows, nearly all of the moneys available to us for the immediate future are going on repair works and steady-state investment. It will be 2019 or beyond before moneys will be used for new projects which, although equally important, simply cannot be funded at this time.

On the slip road issue, I understand TII received no formal submission from Cork County Council. TII's position on funding for the proposal was advised to the council during the course of discussions between officials of TII and the council. TII's view is that the proposal to construct a slip road feeder lane is a development-led matter and, accordingly, funding for any such project should be provided by way of an appropriate development contribution rather than from the limited Exchequer funding available to TII for the national road network. I accept the urgency of the matter, but the Deputy must accept that there is very little funding available and, given that constraint, the priority must be safety above the easing of congestion. Traffic congestion is a very serious problem, but I am pressing TII to focus on safety in view of the extraordinary and unacceptably high number of road deaths. I will be perfectly happy to discuss the matter with the Deputy in private and to raise it with TII.

See this speech in context