Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Approximately €616 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided to TII for national roads in 2022. In line with the NDP and Government policy, TII is allocating national road funding for local authorities for 2022 in a manner which seeks to achieve the following key outcomes: the protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; progress of major projects that are pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline; and prioritising remaining funds for major projects that provide for local bypasses and compact growth in Ireland's towns and villages.

Improvements such as the upgrade of the junction at Ballymaquirke Cross, while relatively minor, deliver significant safety benefits for all road users. The Department of Transport is happy to note the progress that has been made on that junction.

To answer the Deputy's specific question, I do not have information on whether a contractor has been finalised and approved. Nor do I have a detailed timeline of the plans for 2023 other than that it is expected to start that year. I acknowledge the Deputy's points about the urgency of doing something about the junction, given the serious safety concerns.

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