Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, for coming to the Chamber to provide a reply on this matter. I acknowledge that it is not his area of responsibility and that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, is not available this afternoon, although he has previously dealt with this issue in the Topical Issue debate. I refer to the issue of safety along the N5 national primary route. The road crosses the Longford border at Termonbarry and continues across County Roscommon and through Ballaghaderreen. A bypass from outside Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue Cross, which is in my parish on the eastern side of Roscommon, is being progressed.

I will try to point out to the Minister of State the dangers posed to people going about their everyday business in the villages and towns along the road. This issue affects parents bringing their children to school, people alighting at halls and older people going to daycare centres. Every day, they are faced with a significant volume of traffic. There has been a big increase in the population of Termonbarry in recent years. Many houses have been built and many people live in the area. It is probably one of the fastest growing areas in the county. However, very few new traffic control measures have been put in place in the village. Scramogue Cross is a well known point in County Roscommon. A regional road cuts through it and there have been several accidents there through the years. Strokestown has not been bypassed and a significant amount of business comes to the town as a result. However, there are now two major housing estates on the Tulsk road on the edge of the town. On numerous occasions in recent weeks, lorries have almost hit cars going into or coming out of those estates. There have been families in those cars. People live in fear of such situations. In Tulsk village, a major regional road cuts through the national primary route. There was a serious accident at that junction only the other evening and I raised it with the Minister yesterday. There are similar issues in places such as Bellanagare village and Frenchpark. There is a danger to people going about their business in locations along that national primary route. Through the possibly 40 years since the N5 was built, significantly more than 30 people have lost their lives on it. If that had occurred in any other part of the country, there would be a significant outcry.

I am here to plead with the Minister of State to bring back a message to the Minister, Deputy Ross, that something must be done in the short term. In his reply, the Minister of State will refer to the bypass and how it is progressing. It will not be in place for a significant number of years - three, four or possibly more. If something is not urgently done in the meantime, there will be loss of life. There are measures that can be taken and which will not cost the Government or Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, a lot of money. A measure that has worked on other parts of the route is a roadside sign on which a driver's speed flashes up. That is one of the best ways of controlling traffic and the signs are working very well across the country.

I want the Minister to spend an hour travelling the road with me, as he previously promised to do. Immediate contact should be made with TII such that within the next week or two it looks at what can be done in the short term. An example of an issue that could easily be addressed is the lack of a double continuous white line on the Tulsk road in Strokestown. Many large trucks go through the town and onto that road. It is a threat to people's lives. I ask that the Minister of State, please, bring this message back to the Minister and immediately request that TII carry out an assessment of that issue without further delay.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, has responsibility for overall policy and funding in regard to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for the relevant road authority in the case of local and regional roads and for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned, in the case of national roads.

Within the overall context of Project Ireland 2040, the national development plan has been developed by Government to underpin the successful implementation of the new national planning framework. This provides the strategic and financial framework for TII's national roads programme for the period from 2018 to 2027. In the ten years covered by the plan, more than €11 billion will be invested in the overall road network. Ireland has just under 100,000 km of road in its network and the maintenance and improvement of national, regional and local roads places a substantial financial burden on local authorities and the Exchequer. As a result of the national financial position, there were very large reductions in Exchequer funding available for roads expenditure after the financial crisis. The Building on Recovery capital plan 2016 to 2021 and the capital plan review allocation mark a significant step forward in terms of restoring funding to the levels needed to maintain the road network in a steady state condition and allow for investment in road improvement schemes.

Within the capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act. In this regard, TII has progressed a project which runs from Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue. It comprises a proposed road development of 33.4 km consisting of an offline type 1 single carriageway road that runs south east from the tie-in point of the existing Ballaghaderreen bypass to east of Strokestown at Scramogue. An additional 13 km of side roads and existing road improvements, 17 at-grade T-junctions and five roundabouts will be provided as part of the scheme. The proposed route will bypass the towns or villages of Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown.

Roscommon County Council submitted the scheme to An Bord Pleanála in December 2017. An oral hearing into the scheme was held in October 2018 and An Bord Pleanála confirmed the scheme on 18 January 2019. The expected benefits of the project are a reduction in journey times between Ballaghaderreen and Scramoge by approximately ten minutes, improved road safety for all road users and a reduction in accidents, improved environments at Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown as a result of the removal of through traffic from these towns and villages along the existing N5 route, and the supporting of the economic performance of counties Mayo and Roscommon through the provision of improved transport infrastructure. Following approval from An Bord Pleanála, TII intends to progress this project by moving to detailed design stage.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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4 o’clock

I anticipated the Minister of State's answer. I am not blaming him for it. It is correct but - excuse the pun - we have to go down a different road here. The road in question is very dangerous. I will not point out, bit by bit, what I have already pointed out; suffice it to say I acknowledge some safety works have already been carried out and have worked remarkably well. At the point of entry to Strokestown, for example, we got flashing lights after a big campaign. They have almost totally prevented accidents of the kind that were happening there on a weekly or twice-weekly basis. The same was the case in Rathcroghan, a very historic place of which I am sure the Minister of State is aware. Again, we used flashing lights. There was a constant stream of accidents but the lights almost totally prevented them. I welcome and acknowledge what has been done.

I am making a special plea today to get the Government to take on board the needs of the other areas. We cannot wait for the bypass. If we do not do something in the meantime, there will be carnage. There are so many near misses and so many people have been injured. Many have been killed over the years on the route from Termonbarry to Ballaghaderreen. I make a very special appeal to the Minister of State to bring my message very strongly back to the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, and TII. I am willing to work with them. I spoke to our senior engineer, Mr. Eugene Dwyer, in Roscommon County Council yesterday. He agreed with me and is concerned about areas. He agreed additional signage and flashing lights comprise the proper approach. I am looking for something to be done in the short term. It will not cost a lot. I plead with the Minister of State to take really seriously what I am saying in the interest of public safety.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will take the Deputy's concerns back to the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross. In addition to the current safety programs and major schemes, TII operates a programme of minor works, including safety improvement works. The safety section of TII carries out assessments of the network under the HD15 programme. It identifies clusters and areas prone to accidents. Under the HD17 programme, which operates under a European directive, there are route assessments. Works identified under these programmes are identified by the local authorities and they may attract funding once a feasibility report is submitted to the safety section of TII. Perhaps the Deputy will go back to the engineer and ask whether the local authority has submitted an application to TII for minor works. That has worked for me in Wexford on a number of occasions.

I understand the Deputy's concerns, however. There is light at the end of the tunnel. We could be in a worse position, with the bypass not progressing. At least, progress is being made at a steady pace and the authorities are moving to the detailed design stage. I understand the Deputy's frustration because the project will take a number of years. There are steps that can be taken, such as speed vans, but drivers need to be cautious. I will relay the issues the Deputy has highlighted to the Minister.