Dáil debates
Tuesday, 20 June 2023
Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate
Road Network
10:00 pm
Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for being here. I know he is delivering a response on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, but I lament his absence. I know he cannot be here every day, but I cannot understate the damage he has been doing to infrastructure plans that have already been announced and budgeted for. An example is the upgrade to the N17, which is one of the most dangerous national primary routes in the country.
As the Minister of State will know, this scheme has been in the design work stage since 2018. In August that year, the project appraisal plan was approved by the strategic research and analysis division of the Minister's Department.
It was adjudged to be compliant with the public spending code and common appraisal framework. This led to TII's approval to progress to planning and design of the scheme in accordance with its project management guidelines. The emerging preferred corridor for the scheme was released in January of this year, followed by a two month public consultation process.
As the Minister of State will be aware, the scheme forms part of the Trans-European Transport Network, TEN-T, comprehensive network from an EU perspective and is a core component of the Atlantic economic corridor. The upgrade will deliver on national policy, including key strategic objectives and deliverables in Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the national development plan, NDP. The project aligns with the national investment framework for transport in Ireland and the road safety strategy 2021-2030.
God knows, we are awash with cash at this moment in time. The Minister recently attended Sligo County Council where he met the CEO and management team, along with some of the elected members. It was outlined, in a letter that was addressed to Kevin Kelly, the chief executive of Mayo County Council, from his counterpart in Sligo, that the Minister said there would be no funding available for this scheme for "many years". This beggars belief at a time when there is a war in Europe, a housing crisis all over the country, commitments to our international colleagues for help and all of the rest. We have an eastern conurbation that is set to explode.
The disruption caused by traffic and the congestion in this part of the country where I stand now will cost the nation €3 billion per year by 2030. This is because of the green ideology of a very nice man, namely, the Minister, Deputy Ryan. As a great lady in Sligo, Rosie Kelly, used to say, "The country is full of lovely fellas. It's leaders we need".
Sligo is where Project Ireland 2040 was announced. We are now permitting one Minister in government to make a decision. Some three or four weeks ago, on Questions on Policy or Legislation when I was waiting for a turn to come up for this Topical Issue, I asked whether the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Parties in government support the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Green Party's unilateral sabotage of these already announced and budgeted for national policies, in effect, suspending them indefinitely and undermining the momentum and potential for the western seaboard to perform to its potential, as well as offering a real counterbalance to the eastern conurbation and congestion.
10:10 pm
Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the N17 national primary route in line with Government policy as set out in the national planning framework and Project Ireland 2040. As he will be aware, I am answering today on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, who unfortunately cannot be here in person.
The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in regard to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for 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 NDP. Approximately €491 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in the current year. These allocations were announced by the Department of Transport and TII on 16 February 2023.
The N17 Knock to Collooney scheme has been identified in the NDP. TII has worked to progress this scheme through planning, design and construction. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, met recently with Sligo County Council on a number of issues and this project was one of the topics discussed at the meeting. I can confirm €400,000 has been allocated for the N17 Knock to Collooney scheme in 2023. The close out of the route option selection reporting is ongoing and an emerging preferred transport corridor is expected to be completed in quarter 3 of 2023. Additional tasks, including traffic modelling and reporting, are also ongoing. As with the national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the project will be kept under review for 2024. The scheme remains part of the NDP and will be considered in terms of the overall funding available to TII in future years.
There is a commitment of €400,000 for this calendar year. It is vital that in the interests of the taxpayer and, in particular, road users and people who are used to travelling on a road that is not safe, when funding is invested that people get the benefit of that funding and the scheme is continued in the coming years.
The proposed project assists in the delivery of high-quality road networks on the Atlantic corridor, linking Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo. It is important that projects in the programme for Government are implemented during the lifetime of this Government. That is a Government decision and not a decision for any particular group within the Government. These programme for Government commitments are Government commitments involving all three parties.
The project provides enhanced regional accessibility and access to international markets via the airport in Knock. Through the provision of improved infrastructure, the project will support commercial growth and investment in the area, including the Knock Airport strategic development zone. I know the Deputy is very keen to ensure that happens for the development of the region. This particular road project will involve counties Sligo and Mayo.
The proposed project will remove traffic from a number of towns and villages, which will have positive social and environmental impacts on local residents. Road users will benefit from improved journey times and certainty and, in addition, the project provides an opportunity to introduce active transport facilities and encourage physical activity in the area.
Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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It is still in the NDP. As we know, that means nothing. In the 1940s, the NDP involved draining the Shannon and we still have not done that. A figure of €400,000 is derisory. It would not cut the grass verges on the N17 as it is at the moment. The fact is that I have in writing in front of me one chief executive in Sligo County Council communicating with his counterpart in Mayo and outlining that the Minister said there would be no funding available for the scheme for many years.
The people of the western seaboard are a little bit sick of the fact that it was the chosen location for the launch of Project Ireland 2040, as it was. Galway and Mayo are regularly chosen for other launches. It was good enough for Biden to come to Ballina, Knock or wherever else.
I was in the room for part of the programme for Government. In effect, Minister, Deputy Ryan, is dragging Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael around this House in line with his chosen and preferred version of what he might have liked the programme for Government to be. Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Limerick and various other areas in this House represented by those of all parties and none are apoplectic about the Minister. This is not personal, but when it comes to policies agreed by the Government he is running around like a headless chicken, dreaming about what he would like to have seen rather than what the Government agreed. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people in the western seaboard need this road from a safety point of view. I have also outlined why it makes economic sense to at least invest in some sort of counterbalance to what is increasingly an eastern conurbation that goes beyond congestion.
Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue on behalf of his constituents in Sligo. There have been many accidents and fatalities on the road. One factor that is not taken into account sufficiently in these areas is the number of lives saved by improved roads infrastructure. We often talk about the cost benefit of roads, but we cannot put a price on people's lives. People are fatally injured in traffic accidents as a result of unsatisfactory roads that are not capable of dealing with the volume and type of traffic on them.
It is important that we bear those issues in mind. It is also helpful for the economic development. There are programme for Government commitments relating to roads, rail infrastructure, active travel arrangements, bus services, cycling and walking. It is incumbent on us in government to ensure the allocations in each of these areas are spent within the budget and fully utilised. I should not use the word "spend"; I should use the word "investing", in these facilities not just for this generation but for future generations because those roads will be there. It is important that there is no imbalance in the spending under the various headings I mentioned to suit individual parties in government and that what is agreed by the Government at national level is implemented by the line Minister. We have 15 Cabinet posts and each of them is individuals but there is collective responsibility and it is important that Government decisions are implemented in practice. I understand what the Deputy said when he quoted from the letter that no funding would be available for this scheme for a long time yet. I do not know the specifics of that, whether he was talking about the final construction and building it or the planning, or the CPO, if that is required for land acquisition. It is inevitable that land will be required and it will take a number of years in the best of times. I have seen that in my constituency with regard to various motorways. I will raise the issues raised by the Deputy directly with my party leader and other party leaders at the first available opportunity.