Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of contact between his Department and Kildare County Council on the southern distributor route in Athy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38766/16]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy Heydon for Question No. 37. I ask Deputies to consider that I would like to get to the next question.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I raise the issue of the southern distributor route, a ring road around Athy, which has a long and chequered history. The road has been sought for almost 40 years. It is absolutely crucial infrastructure for the town. There is full consensus in the county that it is the No. 1 infrastructural project of Kildare County Council. Importantly, the Government put it on the capital programme last year and we now need it to progress to planning. Kildare County Council has been working on that. What is the latest engagement the Minister has had with the council? Does it involve the Department giving approval to go the board officially?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for his very important question. As he knows, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, such as the Athy southern distributor road, is the statutory responsibility of Kildare County Council, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the council's own resources supplemented by State road grants.

The capital plan 2016-2021 provides that a number of schemes, including the Athy southern distributor road, targeting bottlenecks in the road network will be progressed subject to necessary approvals. In this context the project has to meet the requirements of the public spending code and my Department's common appraisal framework for transport projects as well has obtaining planning approval. It is a matter for Kildare County Council to progress the scheme through the approval process.

The council has been liaising with my Department on the preliminary business case for the project and further contact is planned in the lead-up to the submission of the detailed business case and cost-benefit analysis to this Department, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Once the project appraisal process is completed and clearance is given to proceed, the next stage is submission of the project environmental impact assessment and compulsory purchase order to An Bord Pleanála for approval. Once An Bord Pleanála approval is obtained the project can proceed to construction.

Ultimately, there are two factors influencing the timing of this project, namely, the time required to complete the project appraisal and planning approval process and the need to manage annual budgets in the capital plan, which means that projects have to be phased. This is also subject to the outcome of the mid-term capital review which will soon commence.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed response. He referred to a cost-benefit analysis. The southern distributor route for Athy was included as part of the last Government's capital plan for the next five years because it has one of the highest benefits to cost of any road infrastructure in the country. Does the Minister or his officials have any indication as to when Kildare County Council is expected to submit the detailed business plan and project appraisal to the Department? How long does the Minister envisage that decision will take to turn around? It is crucial that the project proceeds to An Bord Pleanála as quickly as possible, given that we have waited so long.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am not sure of the answer to that question but I will communicate with the Deputy and find out for him if we have any idea. I do not know off the top of my head when this is going to happen. The mid-term capital review, which was in effect launched on Budget day, I would think this would be a good case for the Deputy to make a representation for that and to consider it in that light. The current position is as I have outlined and I will come back to Deputy Heydon on the issue he has raised.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response. The people of Athy have waited a long time for this road. I ask, through the Minister's good office and through his officials in the Department, that when Kildare County Council submits the detailed business plan and the project appraisal that a decision would be turned around as quickly as possible.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Deputy Heydon has made a very good case. The traffic congestion at peak times in Athy makes it a compelling candidate for the mid-term capital review.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We are tight for time, so I will facilitate one supplementary for Deputy Broughan.