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

I greatly appreciate Deputy Stanton’s indulgence that I am giving the reply. I will give the best response I can. From the outset, I want to underline that I completely acknowledge his commitment to the project and his advocacy that has been ongoing for it, as well as acknowledging that of the Acting Chair. His passion for it will be familiar to many of us here. I agree that Mallow is a great town and it needs increased recognition from the State.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, 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.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. This 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 the greater portion of this funding will become available in the second half of the decade, there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects this year. However, many national road projects in the NDP will continue to be progressed in 2023. Approximately €491 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2023. These allocations were announced by the Department of Transport and TII on 16 February 2023. They include the €100,000 mentioned to Cork County Council with regard to the Mallow relief road. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the project will be kept under review for 2024 and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

The proposed N72-N73 Mallow relief road project is included among a number of major national road schemes that were identified in the NDP for planning, design and construction. This scheme consists of a single or dual carriageway bypass of the town of Mallow. It is greatly needed. I have been through Mallow in recent weeks and I fundamentally agree with the Deputy's comments. I do not take from them for an instant. The scheme length would be of the order of 4.5 km to 7 km. Early planning, design and appraisal work for the project has commenced. The route option selection phase has been completed and the project is now in the planning and design phase. The Deputy asked why the decision was made and I have done my best to lay out the budgetary constraints which the Department has identified. More importantly, I will undertake to go back to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, with details of our discussion this evening. If there needs to be a deputation meeting arranged, I will do my best to facilitate that. I will remain fully supportive of this project and of the efforts of Deputy Stanton and the Acting Chair, Deputy James O’Connor, to see it delivered as soon as possible.

See this speech in context