Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important project for Kerry and its environs. I am, obviously, answering this question on behalf of the Minister for Transport who has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII, which is mentioned by the Deputy, under the Roads Acts 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 national planning framework and the national development plan.

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 enable improved regional accessibility across the country, as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The 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 well as the development of a number of others.

As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this has meant that there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2023 and 2024. However, approximately €491 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2023.

Having regard to the funding constraint outlined above, I understand it was not possible to provide an allocation to all national roads for projects in the NDP for 2023. However, the majority of projects did receive funding, including the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project, which received an allocation of €100,000 in 2023. This project is listed in the current NDP. It would provide bypasses of Farranfore and Killarney and would deliver an improved road between the two towns.

The allocations for 2024, as mentioned by the Deputy, are due to be announced later this week and will provide a full list of projects in Kerry that are receiving allocations. It is not possible to provide an allocation to every project in the NDP for 2024. However, it is important to point out that the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project remains part of the NDP and I can assure the Deputy that sufficient funding is in place to ensure that the route options phase will be concluded in 2024, with a preferred route selected. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project will be kept under review in future years and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

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