Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for Transport for coming to the Chamber to address the important issue of road safety. I will echo some of the points that were made earlier in respect of speed ramps for housing estates. I know we have moved away from speed ramps and towards raised platforms. There is obviously merit in that for young people cycling and so on. However, the process for trying to get those into estates is too onerous and it is too easy for councils to opt out of doing so. It is only a number of years since the tragic case of a child dying in an estate. As a result of that, the speed limits on roads in all housing estates were to be reduced. We need to go further with that. We need to mandate local authorities to identify estates where there are high risks and to put in place measures to improve road safety in those estates. We are finding anecdotally, particularly in larger estates that are off the main roads, that young people who do not have insurance, tax or an NCT certificate are using those estates to drive around. That in itself brings additional concerns and fears.

It would be remiss of me not to use this opportunity while the Minister is in the House to address the thorny issue of the upgrade of the N4 from Mullingar to Roosky, a 52 km stretch of road. It is one of 15 or so road projects around the country that are currently held up and awaiting funding. We are desperately awaiting news that there will be funding to continue this route selection process in 2024. It has been brought as far as possible with money made available so far. We now need desperately to select the route. It has been an unfortunate process. A preferred route was selected and announced in 2010 but as we know and as history will tell us, the economy collapsed and with it went the hopes of the N4. The reality is this is a particularly dangerous stretch of road. No one road death commands more weight or political clout than any other but the reality is that since 2008 on this particular 52 km stretch of road, there have been 20 fatalities and 34 serious road accidents. There have been a further 218 collisions and crashes. It is a carriageway road. There are over 500 access points to private houses and laneways along the route. There is a multiplicity of opportunities for and threats of danger and accidents. It is a real concern. Every road death is a tragedy and a horrific loss of life. There are approximately 20 families who travel that road and pass the mark where their relations died. That is a constant reminder for them.

We have gone through the budget process and looked at the country and the considerable excess of money, and the potential for largesse, we have at the moment. The greatest investment we can make is in the area of road safety. I admire much of the work the Minister is doing in respect of cycleways. I can see the evidence of that in Longford town. However, it behoves us to ensure that we progress the N4 during the lifetime of this Government. It is an extremely important section of roadway for the economic growth and prosperity of Longford and the wider west of Ireland region. Primarily, I am making an impassioned appeal to the Minister to ensure that before the end of the year, an announcement on ensuring that there is funding in 2024 for the N4 and those related road projects nationally. I am grateful for the indulgence.

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