Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. In the Maynooth case, funding came from the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. In the other cases, an overall traffic assessment needs to be done again to ensure that the necessity that was identified some years ago is addressed in the shortest possible time. The traffic in Celbridge in particular is serious. It is because there are not enough ingress and egress points in the town. Even if there were no through traffic, roads relief would be needed in any event.

The case of Naas is simple. Work is already in hand. The same situation applies in most towns in north Kildare, including Kilcock and so forth. For example, work is already in hand on the Sallins bypass. These towns are in the pressure area in terms of industrial development and housing. There are more than 20,000 people in each of the main towns. Maynooth is a growing university town and, with the number of students included, its population is heading towards 17,000.

The situation requires an update and an assurance that the proposals are progressed as soon as possible and corrected where necessary. It is important that we try to ensure that this vital infrastructure is put in place at the earliest possible date as opposed to waiting until half a generation has passed, which used to be the situation previously. I am not suggesting that it is currently, but it is necessary that we keep a watchful eye on progress to ensure that it is done and this issue is taken up as a matter of urgency.

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