James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the infrastructure projects of the Killeagh and Castlemartyr bypasses and the Cobh access road under the review of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32133/21]

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for being here. I want to use this important opportunity today, before the Government finalises the review of the national development plan, once again to push for the critical infrastructure projects that are badly needed in the constituency of Cork East. It is incredibly important that the Government gives priority to the Cobh access road and the Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypasses. We are far behind where we need to be on the level of road infrastructure required to handle the traffic levels in east Cork. We need the help and assistance of the Minister. Will he please give the House an update on what is going on in these projects?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and securing Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the national development plan.

Within the overall context of Project Ireland 2040, the national development plan was developed to underpin the successful implementation of the national planning framework. This provides the strategic and financial framework for the national roads programme for the period from 2018 to 2027. The focus of TII's activities over the coming years is, accordingly, being directed towards the development of the major national road improvement schemes that are included in the national development plan, along with the maintenance of the existing national road network.

The proposed N25 Castlemartyr bypass was not included among the projects identified for development during the period of the current national development plan. However, it should be noted that as part of the national development plan review under the programme for Government commitments, my Department, in conjunction with TII, is assessing all roads projects.

The review of the national development plan will be consistent with the ambition of the programme for Government. The updated national development plan will be aligned with the national planning framework, which recognises the crucial importance of balanced regional development, clustered and compact growth, and improved connectivity to deliver economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. I take this opportunity to highlight that all projects, including those listed in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, or any revision to the national development plan, require statutory approval and compliance with the public spending code.

Even though it is not in the NDP, one proposed project involves a bypass of Castlemartyr village on the N25 and provides a strategic link between the south east and the south west. Cork County Council, which is the road authority for the area, is progressing a feasibility study of scheme options for this project. This will examine the possibility of providing a relief road for the N25 through-traffic around the village of Castlemartyr.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I wish to point out a couple of issues to the Minister. The first is the Castlemartyr and Killeagh N25 potential upgrade that could be contained in the NDP review. Killeagh is not included in any of the replies I have received from the Department. All the Department acknowledges is Castlemartyr. I accept that the feasibility study only covered Castlemartyr. As the Minister knows, however, Castlemartyr is much more difficult from the point of view of topography, soil and rock in terms of the difficulty of the construction that will be required for the bypass section at that part of the road. The same difficulties are not there at Killeagh. It is a much easier build. I want to convey clearly to the Minister that Killeagh must be included in this. If Killeagh is not done with Castlemartyr, the total design could potentially be flawed. It is very much required. I ask the Minister to fight for the section at Killeagh as well. It is badly needed for the people of east Cork.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The existing NDP has approximately 45 different road projects. A project being in the NDP does not necessarily mean it is guaranteed to go to construction. Similarly, just because a project is not in the NDP does not mean that it will not happen. There is also flexibility within local authorities. For example, the proposed Castlemartyr bypass we are examining at present is very much led by the council, which is appropriate. The same could apply to Killeagh. Given that there will be such financing constraint and that what was in originally envisaged in the NDP involved very long sections of upgraded national roads, whose cost would run to hundreds of millions and, in many cases, billions of euro, we may have to reprioritise whereby we spend on a large number of small bypasses rather than doing one huge section of road, such as the Macroom bypass. I have nothing against the road in question, but it almost goes as far as Ballyvourney. Its cost is coming in at approximately €250 million. It is better to use our money on a series of small upgrades and bypasses so our towns and villages can be restored. Rather than listing every one of them in the NDP, the issue is to set the strategic context and the budget and then apply that across the country.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the Cobh access road, it is important to take the opportunity to acknowledge that project. The existing infrastructure to access Great Island and the town of Cobh is utterly under-resourced. It is not up to scratch, and the council will say that. The engineers who have been looking at this for the past number of years will also say it. A significant amount of funding is required to deal with that issue. There is a requirement for that to be contained in the NDP because the project will come in at well over €20 million. This is always the stumbling block with every civil servant I have engaged with at national level when it comes to getting funding for projects. I take this opportunity to reiterate that the people of Cobh need the infrastructure. Belvelly Bridge, which the Minister is familiar with, is not capable of handling the current levels of traffic. If anything happens on Fota Road, the island is completely cut off. That has occurred previously. It is very dangerous and must be addressed.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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We all know there is an issue with that bridge. I understand that, first and foremost, the council is going to look at what the options are there. It is a historical bridge so we must be sensitive and examine various options. We must recognise, however, that in the context of the European recovery and resilience fund, from which we are getting a total of €1 billion, we earmarked €185 million for upgrading the Cork metropolitan rail services line. The first section is primarily working between Midleton and Kent Station and the works to go through Kent Station. That is leading to the introduction of a high-quality metropolitan service, which will also benefit the town of Cobh. We are looking at radical improvement in the frequency and operation of train services on the Cork commuter rail service and having a first-class service. To refer back to what we were discussing earlier, to my mind this is using new battery electric trains. We are talking about the very best service. That will have a significant impact on the development of Cobh and the areas of Carrigtwohill, Glounthaune, Midleton and all the stations in between. That should reorganise that area towards this much more sustainable transport system.