Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the opportunity to raise this issue which is important in my locality. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, recognises it is not only a constituency issue but a regional one. I refer to the N20 Limerick to Kerry road.

The road into Adare has been named by AA Roadwatch as one of the worst in the country in terms of traffic tailbacks. It also appears on the AA's list of the country's seven slowest roads. The list was based on the findings of the AA and information from An Garda Síochána and the bus companies. None of this comes as a surprise to the people of Adare or those who use the road to commute because tailbacks have delayed traffic entering and leaving the town for a number of years. Traffic increased over the summer for several reasons, including the upturn in economic activity and the general attractiveness of the Kerry region, particularly when the weather is fine.

I wish to raise a number of issues related to this matter. Commuters travelling west experience great frustration. Many commuters live in the west of the county but work in Limerick city and county roads can become problematic rat runs. Some 133 people signed a petition on the speed limit on such roads, but the council will not consider the matter as the difficulty only arises at certain times of the day. There are serious concerns about the safety of children and at certain times people cannot walk on these roads owing to vehicles taking short cuts. Many of the byroads in question are very narrow and one is especially dangerous.

This has been a problem for almost 30 years and several bypass routes have been proposed during that period. We were extremely disappointed when An Bord Pleanála rejected the last route proposed by the council as the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the previous Minister agreed with it. The rejection was based on the excuse that the delay in the construction of the motorway from Limerick to Cork was partly due to this project. The NRA has stated it is extremely concerned about the condition of the road from Patrickswell towards Cork because of its dangerous narrowness. Trucks create difficulties on this road and there have been many fatalities. The road from Patrickswell to Charleville should be developed as it is an extremely dangerous stretch of road and this development should include the Adare bypass, which was destined to be the case.

I am making a case for Adare to be bypassed, which has happened in the case of many other towns, including Castleisland. Like any other bypass, the project to bypass Adare must stand on its own. It has cost over €5 million to date all relating to plans - not one sod of earth has been turned. There is much tourist activity in Adare which could be enhanced by removing traffic from the village and facilitating local and tourist traffic. I put the case for a bypass to the Minister of State as there are strong feelings on the issue in Adare. The demand for a bypass has been supported by Limerick County Council, the National Roads Authority and the previous Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar. When I raised the issue recently, the current Minister stated it was not just a local issue but one of regional importance. I have raised the matter on several occasions and do not wish to do so indefinitely. The current approach could see the project stall for decades. Traffic chaos is not enhancing one of the prettiest villages in the country - in fact, the opposite applies.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe. All Members of the House will be well aware that the Minister has responsibility for overall policy and funding of the national roads programme.

The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects are matters, in the first instance, for the NRA in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act. Because of the national financial position, public funding for Ireland's roads has fallen radically since reaching a peak of €1.75 billion in 2007. The allocation for the NRA for improvement and maintenance works in 2014 is €371 million, including recent stimulus funding of €23 million, which is comparable to that available for national roads in 1998.

The reality is that the available funds do not match the amount of work required. For this reason, it has not been possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects and the main focus has to be on the maintenance and repair of roads. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Minister will have to continue to prioritise the maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure and the scope for progressing new projects will very much depend on the level of future funding available.

The N21 Adare bypass route was intended to run to the south of Adare. The compulsory purchase order and environmental impact statement documentation were submitted to An Bord Pleanála for approval on 4 March 2010. On 18 October 2012 An Bord Pleanála made a decision to refuse the proposed road scheme to bypass Adare. Principally, although not exclusively, the decision was based on the fact that the Adare bypass route would:

...if permitted and constructed, constitute isolated infrastructure, would not represent a coherent approach to the provision of major roads infrastructure and, furthermore, would not have the potential to fulfil the functions envisaged for the scheme. The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The amendment would be helpful for certain. There has been a pick-up in the economy and there will be capital spending. We must plan for the construction of this road. The Minister of State has said the money is not available to construct it, but there will be a long lead-in period. We must be ready when the opportunity arises or when capital spending is provided for. If the economy keeps growing as it is, it will only be a short number of years before this happens. At that point, while we may have the funding available, the plan will not be in place. We are, therefore, calling for planning of the bypass to commence immediately.

The Minister of State referred to the road to Foynes. That would be a good project, if it were to place, but I have been listening to talk about that project for 30 years. I joined the council over 30 years ago and it was being discussed then. It will continue to be discussed in the future. We do not have funding for a stand-alone bypass project in Adare, but the Minister of State is suggesting there is funding for a project ten or 15 miles down the road in Foynes.

The statement was critical of stand-alone bypass projects but most bypass projects are stand-alone. Any bypass project of which I know is stand-alone. The most recent bypass constructed in our area at Castleisland was a stand-alone project. Will the Minister of State point to a bypass project that is not stand-alone? They were constructed where they were obviously needed. It is a new spin to suggest that because a bypass would be a stand-alone project, it cannot be constructed. Most bypasses of which I know were constructed to relieve congestion in towns and villages. There are two bypasses in my area, one in my village of Croagh and the other in Rathkeale. They are stand-alone. Now the Minister of State is telling us this cannot be done in the case of Adare because it would be stand-alone. That is not acceptable.

There must be a level of urgency created to commence the planning of a bypass route. Must we wait another 30 years for a new road to Foynes? What will Adare be like in three, five or ten years with the growth in traffic through the town and the development of the tourism industry in Limerick and the Kerry region? Inaction could seriously damage prospects because people will begin to be concerned about the delay in travelling to some tourist resorts in west Limerick and County Kerry.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The National Roads Authority is suggesting having isolated and disconnected infrastructure is not a good idea. I imagine the authority is right, but I am equally certain that the Deputy is right. The proposed amendment to the roads Act would have a significant impact. All of the points raised by the Deputy are valid. I am pleased that the Minister for Finance has joined us because Adare is probably in his constituency also. As we all know, funding is a key issue, especially when it comes to road construction. I will ensure all of the points the Deputy has raised will be relayed to the relevant Minister.