Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Transport Infrastructure Ireland sent a very important memo to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, warning him that a continued failure to invest in new road projects would result in 77 deaths and 381 serious injuries over the next five years. That is a very serious assertion for any group or organisation to make. Budget 2024 has seen a 13% decrease of €200 million in funding for roads.

I want to speak about a number of important road projects for County Kerry. If the N22 Farranfore-to-Killarney bypass project does not go ahead soon, according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, three deaths and seven serious injuries are liable to occur at this location. Kerry County Council requires further funding in order to get to and over the route selection phase for this road and has applied for it. Will the Government support the construction of this road despite the likelihood of it being stalled by the current climate action plan? This road is integral for the continued economic growth of our county and, of course, for the tourism capital of the western world, that is, Killarney town. We also need the relief road to be constructed from Lissivigeen roundabout out to the Muckross Road, which, of course, would service the great INEC and the Gleneagle Hotel and all of the other hotels and big guesthouses that we have along what we like to call the golden mile in Killarney out to Muckross, where thousands of tourists, people from around the country and locals enjoy what is to offer by the great families that are steeped in the tourism product that is County Kerry for many years.

We also need funding for the Newcastle West relief road. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, says that four deaths and four serious injuries will occur there if that job does not go ahead. As for the N21 Abbeyfeale relief road, five serious injuries will occur; and the N72-N73, Mallow relief road, three deaths and seven injuries.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are facilitating the Green Party's underinvestment in roads which, in turn, as stated by TII, will lead to more deaths on our roads. Road deaths are already spiralling out of control. An Garda Síochána statistics state that 151 road deaths already this year compares to 116 at the same time last year.

I take this opportunity to say how sorry I am that, in County Kerry alone, over the last number of weeks we have had too many, in particular, young people, who have tragically lost their lives on our roads. I want to say how sorry I am to their families and their extended families.

Money for basic maintenance of our road network is totally inadequate. The local authority, Kerry County Council, does excellent work but it needs funding for basic maintenance. I recognise, acknowledge and thank the Government for what money we have got but we are falling very far behind at this time.

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