Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

4. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the need for the provision of the Killarney bypass from Farranfore to Lissivigeen and from Lissivigeen to Castlelough. [7875/18]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am asking the Minister to prioritise the Killarney bypass, from Lissivigeen to Farranfore and from Lissivigeen to Castlelough on the Muckross Road. It is a very important scheme. The plan was first unveiled in 2004 but shelved or suspended in 2011. The route has been identified. I raised the matter with the Taoiseach in October during Leaders' Questions. Happily, a sum of €25,000 has been allocated, but I believe it will only dust down the fines.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is not the first time I have heard the issue of this road being raised. The Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Griffin, has raised it with me many times. It is a serious problem and I recognise that the project is important to the Minister of State, as well as to Deputies Danny and Michael Healy-Rae, Martin Ferris and all other representatives in County Kerry. I will address the issue as seriously as I possibly can.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding of the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects are matters for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. 

Ireland has just under 100,000 km of road in its network and the maintenance and improvement of national, regional and local roads place a substantial financial burden on local authorities and the Exchequer.  Because of the national financial position, there were very large reductions in the Exchequer funding available for roads expenditure after the financial crisis and the cuts meant that a significant number of proposed road improvement projects had to be suspended. The N22, Farranfore to Killarney, scheme was one of the projects suspended at the time.

The Building on Recovery capital plan 2016 to 2021 and the capital plan review allocations mark a significant step forward in restoring funding to the levels needed to maintain the road network in a “steady state” condition and allowing for some investment in road improvement schemes, but it is going to take time for funding to build up to the required level to support road maintenance and improvement projects.  I was able to secure significant additional funding in the capital plan review and it will allow a package of additional measures to be implemented, including the development of a pipeline of future projects.  In that context, TII has allocated funding this year to local authorities to progress pre-appraisal of a range of projects.  The N22, Killarney to Farranfore, scheme is one the schemes to be assessed.  I understand from TII that the funding provided for Kerry County Council this year is to bring the full scheme through pre-appraisal, with a view to assessing the extent to which the scheme or elements of it can be justified in terms of appraisal and advanced further.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's public spending code and my Department's capital appraisal framework have very specific requirements in relation to the appraisal of capital projects and given the many competing demands for funding, the appraisal process is very important in determining how best to allocate resources.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad to see the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Brendan Griffin, in the House. I ask him to put his shoulder to the wheel and push this very important project. Progressing it has many merits. Killarney is choked by traffic during the summer months, with people trying to get in and out of the town. In a way, that is good as it shows that people want to come to Killarney. However, we need to cater for them. There is congestion on the Muckross Road, with traffic from Kenmare and Glengarriff trying to get through the town. Traffic has to pass through the town to get to Limerick or any other part of the country. There is also traffic from Killorglin and Liebherr, as well as to O'Shea's Funeral Home in the evenings, when workers travel up Dr. Hans-Liebherr Road and St. Anne's Road. The volume of traffic on the bypass is at the maximum. It is used by 18,600 vehicles per day. It connects with the Tralee and Farranfore road at the Cleeny junction.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad that the Deputy acknowledged the presence of the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Brendan Griffin. It was very gracious of him to do so. I am also glad that he has acknowledged that we are taking this project very seriously. Kerry County Council selected the route in 2004. However, following a review, the scheme was revised several times before the project was suspended in 2009. The expected cost of construction of the 27 km route is between €160 million and €200 million. A bypass relief road was built in Killarney in the 1990s. It comprised a single carriageway with junctions. It is used by around 18,000 vehicles per day which is above capacity. The 21 km mainline scheme, or a section thereof, will provide a bypass of the town and the existing relief road.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Addressing safety issues should be a priority. There have been accidents and deaths at the top of Lewis Road. We need to get rid of the massive amount of traffic on that road. Madam's Hill junction, Farranfore junction with a turn-off for Firies, mid-Kerry and Dingle, Park Road roundabout and junction which caters for traffic to the the industrial estates and people from Gneeveguilla are all dangerous roads. The junction at Ballycasheen is also deadly. Other accidents and deaths have occurred at Coolcaslagh. We have to make the case for the continuation of the growth of the tourism product in Killarney. Some €180 million is being spent there which is projected to go up to over €500 million by 2025. If we include all direct and indirect spending, some €410 million is generated in Killarney. The tourism industry employs 3,122 people. We need to protect these jobs and add to them. It does not make sense to have the traffic from Glengarriff, Kenmare and Sneem travelling around by Kenmare Place to get to other parts of the country. As many vehicles need to pass through Killarney, I ask the Minister to prioritise this very important project. We have been told by IBEC that Ireland has the fewest infrastructural projects under way in Europe. I ask both the Minister and the Minister of State to prioritise this very important project.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy can be absolutely assured that I have taken his contribution seriously. The capital plan, as it stands, does not make provision for the N22, Farranfore to Killarney, scheme, but the extra funding provided in the capital plan review will enable TII to develop a pipeline of potential future projects. This project will be considered for development in the post-2022 period. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is progressing approximately 23 schemes through the pre-appraisal and early planning process this year, with a view to prioritising projects to be advanced further. The outcome of the pre-appraisal process will, therefore, determine which schemes or elements of them will be progressed. In the case of the N22, Farranfore to Killarney, scheme, the pre-appraisal process will include consideration of whether all three elements can be justified. Each of the potential projects will be subject to the appraisal requirements of the public spending code and the capital appraisal framework. In that context, the national development plan will state each Department must ensure all relevant appraisal processes and value for money tests in the public spending code are met before committing funding to individual capital projects. I will take to heart and to TII the submissions made by the Deputy and the Minister of State on this project.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Four years is too long to wait given the level of traffic congestion in Killarney.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We allowed the Deputy extra time, but we will not do so again.