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

As Minister for Transport, I have 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 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, 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 NPF 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. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this meant that there was a constraint on the funding available for new projects this year. 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.

Having regard to the funding constraint I outlined, it was not possible to provide an allocation to all new national road projects in the NDP for 2023. However, the majority of projects have been allocated funding, including the N4 Mullingar to Longford scheme. With regard to this project, a draft emerging preferred transport corridor has been determined and work is ongoing on finalising the preferred route. It is expected that this process will be complete in the current year. I have allocated funding of €200,000 to Westmeath County Council in 2023 to complete this phase. As with all national roads projects included in the NDP, the delivery programme for the project will be kept under review for 2024. This will include consideration of all developments in relation to the project.

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