Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is right that I know this particular road well. I am also very familiar with Hillcrest Road, which the Deputy mentioned, and the travails of its residents over the years as a result of the inordinate traffic volumes on what is a narrow residential road. The Department engaged with the council in July last year and came back strongly with the position that funding for this scheme could not be drawn down under the regional and local roads grant programme. As I indicated in my reply, the roads already identified under the NDP will receive priority funding.

The only prospect I can offer the Deputy - without in any way committing, because it is impossible to do so - is that any review of the NDP might led to a possible reconsideration of the funding it provides. In the meantime, I understand the council has done the planning for the project and has started the process of securing compulsory purchase orders. I do not know whether the council has the resources to proceed with the works or where the project fits within its strategic investment plans. The Department, having considered the matter in some detail as recently as last year, concluded that the project would not be included in the regional and local road grants programme. As to whether that might change under any review of the NDP, which would be early next year, we will have to wait and see.

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