Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TIl, in conjunction with the local authorities. I am sorry if this may be frustrating the Deputy because I feel I am reading out the same answer again. The national roads programme is ultimately delivered by TII in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework 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. I have taken notes regarding what the Deputy said about 30,000 people using that road daily. This funding provided will enable improved regional accessibility 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 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 2024. However, approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024. The N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton project is one of several national road projects in Cork that are included in the NDP. Others include the recently completed upgrade to the Dunkettle interchange and the N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom project, which was completed last year. In 2024, almost €56 million in Exchequer funding was allocated to Cork County Council through TII. This money will be used to fund a number of new road projects, including the M28 between Cork and Ringaskiddy and the N25 Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypass. Funding is also provided for the protection and renewal of the national road network in the county.

Regarding the current status of the N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton project, technical advisers have completed their assessment of the route options and have determined the preferred solution. Improvements to crossings over this very busy section of the N25 to enhance active travel are being considered as part of the scheme. The project did not receive funding in 2024, but as with all national road projects in the NDP, the delivery programme of these projects will be kept under review for 2025 and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII. The project remains a part of the NDP. However, TII has allocated funding to Cork County Council to identify measures with the potential to address specific safety issues between Carrigtwohill and Lake View Roundabout at Midleton. The Cork national roads office has undertaken significant desktop work on identifying options in this regard and undertaken discussions on this matter with affected stakeholders with the intention of applying for planning permission during 2025.

With regard to the N25 east of Midleton, TII is funding Cork County Council's development of a major project, the N25 Midleton to Youghal scheme. This scheme would deliver a bypass of Castlemartyr to Killeagh, locations that suffer from significant levels of congestion. Works to date have focused on the identification of constraints within the study area and high-level options that are feasible to deliver the project's objectives. These include accommodating strategic traffic and removing traffic from the Castlemartyr to Killeagh road as well as improving safety. In 2024, €450,000 has been allocated for the progression of the scheme. I take on board, however, what the Deputy said and his priority being safety.

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