John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)

I appreciate the Minister of State's response and while I acknowledge he is reading from information he has been given, unfortunately, it will not be much comfort - if any comfort at all - to the residents in Bray who are seriously concerned about the closure of this junction and the impact it will have. As for hearing one of the intentions regarding closing the road is to improve road safety for all users of the N11 and M11, it could not be further from the truth because the Herbert Road junction actually alleviates a lot of the pressures on the N11.

I dare the Minister, the Minister of State or Darragh O'Brien to get a Garda report to see how many road traffic accidents have actually happened at that junction. I cannot recall any accidents whatsoever there, so what was said was a false argument.

Unfortunately, the €1.45 million that is being spent on the project this year is a waste of money. so it needs to stop now. Bray is due to expand considerably over the coming years. Thousands of new homes are being built in the town centre. Junction 7 is gridlocked as it is. Building a larger roundabout is being proposed, but look at the Red Cow roundabout and the challenges it has. The same will happen with junction 7 if one of the vital arteries in and out of the town closes. Common sense needs to prevail. A bus corridor can go ahead without the junction closing. I do not believe it is a case of one or the other. The two can go ahead. There is an engineering solution to this issue that would be acceptable to everyone. The residents want their voices heard. They do not feel their voices have been heard in the consultation process. Will the Minister of State agree to meet a small delegation of the residents and listen first hand to their experience as well as to their concerns and fears about this scheme going ahead and the impact it will have on them and their livelihoods?

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