Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to clarify and explain the situation on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. He sends his apologies that he could not be present tonight. First, I acknowledge the situation Deputy Cahill has represented with regard to landowners and families who want to progress their plans for building a house for their family, starting a local enterprise or developing a farm enterprise, as well as the job creation involved. Having been involved with a number of areas where roads have been developed, I know that the route selection and preferred route options can be a cumbersome process and can delay things a great deal. It has a knock-on effect on families. I will certainly bring that main message the Deputy has raised to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, with regard to trying to move it on this year and to bring it to a certain stage whereby it will affect fewer people in the context of the sterilisation of land. I know the Deputy's key priority is to see the road developed given all the benefits it will bring. On top of that, however, it is important that we do not put people's lives on hold unnecessarily for too long. That is the Deputy's key point.

To give the background of the project, the Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

In the new NDP launched in October 2021, approximately €5.1 billion is earmarked for new national roads projects to 2030. That is a positive that will enable many projects to progress. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others. The N24 project is included in the list of projects to be evaluated for progression and potential prioritisation during the period covered by the NDP. We know the importance of this as it will improve connectivity and accessibility between Limerick and Waterford. In addition, the project would provide improved access to international markets, as the N24 connects to the Port of Waterford and Rosslare Europort. The project could also improve the quality of life of commuters and local residents through improved journey times and the provision of new cycling and walking facilities. It is key that the N24 project could also enable connection to the Waterford greenway which will in turn connect to the south-east greenway running from Waterford city to New Ross.

With regard to progressing it this year and the funding allocated for this year, the fact that the greater portion of NDP funding for road projects becomes available in the second half of the decade means there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects or to bring projects such as the N24 forward this year. However, most national road projects in the NDP will continue to be progressed in 2022 and across 2023. Projects such as the N24 from Cahir to Waterford, which do not have the required funding to progress this year, remain part of projects for consideration in the NDP and will be considered for funding next year. Kilkenny County Council, as the lead authority in partnership with Tipperary County Council, has appointed Arup Engineering Consultants as technical advisers to progress the appraisal and early planning and design of this project. The route options selection stage has commenced, as the Deputy said.

A virtual public consultation dealing with constraints was held in May and June 2021.

Given funding constraints for 2022, as referred to earlier, TII is unable to provide an allocation for this project in 2022. The delivery programme for this project will be kept under review for next year and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII. Again, I will bring back the Deputy's main point to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, which is that if the project is delayed at this stage, it will affect people's livelihoods and plans for their land, farms and enterprises. It is the key part of what the Deputy is asking. I will ask the Minister to have that discussion with TII on the Deputy's behalf to see if we can get through this stage and on to the next.

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