Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I understand he raised it in the House yesterday evening as well. I appreciate the frustration of people in Mallow and the business community there. The Government is prioritising bypasses as part of the national roads programme and this is a bypass. We have about €500 million a year for the national roads programme, comprising about €250 million to improve and maintain the roads and about €250 million for new projects. It is never the case that every project can be funded every year, but we have agreement across government that if savings arise during the course of the year, because some projects do not proceed for some reason or another, they can be reallocated. Certainly, this road is on the agenda, and so is the N4 to Longford. If we are able to find savings during the course of the year, they can be reallocated. I cannot promise that now but I will work on it.

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