Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. I will not pretend that I am not a little disappointed with the lack of progress. As the Minister well knows, people in this area have been waiting more than 25 years for improvements to a road that is not fit for purpose. In the time since the need for an upgrade was identified, 7,000 new homes have been built in the area and there has been a significant increase in traffic. The population has grown to such an extent that since I was first elected to office in 2009, a dozen new national and secondary schools have been constructed in the area. The volumes of traffic, including motor car, bicycle and, to a lesser extent, pedestrian have multiplied.

Priority must be given to upgrading this major linear artery across the Dublin Mountains. The road is used by people travelling to and from such places as Dundrum Town Centre, the M50 and Sandyford business district, and it encompasses a vastly populated and growing residential area. Many people bought their homes in the area assuming that the road would be built before they even had children, let alone when they were sending those children off, as the case may be, to third level. As I said, there was an extremely serious accident on the road this summer. Fortunately, there were no fatalities but there were a number of injuries and the traffic delays were manic. If we think back to the very bad snows of 2009 and 2010, there were four-hour to five-hour delays for motorists trying to cross this road. It is a very serious matter. I appeal to the Minister and his officials not just to engage with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council but to prioritise this project for funding, for the benefit not only of the immediate population but that of the wider population of south Dublin and north Wicklow.

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