Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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Part of the N25, in particular the stretch out past the Rhu Glenn, can be described in no other terms than a deadly accident black spot. Over the past number of years, there have been several fatal road accidents along this road. The road traffic report clearly states that the road has completely exceeded the safe number of vehicles. It has a 360% increase in road users. The community has repeatedly sought road traffic safety measures. In February, following the death of a local woman on the road, her family again appealed for urgent safety measures to be put in place. I raised these requests with the Minister. I raised them with the council. I raised them with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. While the concerns were acknowledged, no timeline for improvements was given. There was just talk of carrying out reviews of the road, again with no timeline for completion. In February, I warned that every delay and deflection would risk more lives. Tragically, there was yet another fatal traffic collision at the end of April when another woman lost her life.

It is not acceptable that Government bodies can acknowledge the risk and danger along the N25 but show no level of urgency in installing road safety measures. We cannot sit idle on this. We need to see action before any more devastation. Funding needs to be prioritised for this road. Will the Government commit to funding the N25 Waterford to Glenmore road scheme in 2025? More than 80 people have died along this stretch of road in the past 40 years. It is more than just a black spot; this is a death trap.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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The Waterford to Glenmore road scheme is an important scheme for the south east. Residents in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny are concerned. A public meeting has been organised in a couple weeks’ time in June in Kilkenny. It has been organised by a nurse from Wexford and other local community members because they are so concerned about the fatalities that have happened on this stretch of the road over the course of the past number of years. I engaged with officials in Waterford City and County Council but also in Kilkenny County Council. I understand that the cathaoirleach and CEO of Kilkenny County Council have written to the Minister, Darragh O'Brien, setting out the real road safety issues that are at play here.

As Deputy Newsome Drennan referenced, there have been four fatalities since 2022 when the scheme was essentially paused. The scheme got funding for phases 1 and 2 but has not received any funding since 2022. It cannot progress onto stage 3 and stage 4 until funding is forthcoming. We were hoping it would get funding in this year's round of funding. That did not happen. A total of €728,000 is required for this year. That would have made a huge difference to advance this project, but as Kilkenny County Council has said, the project is essentially stalled.

There was a fatality again recently on that stretch of the road. Local residents and local communities are concerned about this stretch of the road. It makes perfect sense from every perspective, economically as well, to link what is the Waterford city bypass and the New Ross bypass. From an economic perspective, it is necessary, but from a road safety perspective, it is absolutely necessary. I ask that the decision not to fund that project this year be revisited, the funding be forthcoming and the local authorities in the region be allowed to progress this on to the next stage.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Transport, who has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national roads programme.

Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the operation and management 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 and the NDP. The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects that are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others.

The funding for new roads was phased across the period of the NDP, with €1.1 billion allocated for the national roads from 2021 to 2025 and €4 billion allocated between 2026 and 2030. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this meant that TII was unable to provide funding over the past three years for the N25 Waterford to Glenmore scheme.

However, approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2025.

The N25 Waterford-to-Glenmore project would link the N25 New Ross bypass and the N25 Waterford city bypass and is expected to consist of approximately 9.4 km of high-quality road, completing the upgrade of the N25 between New Ross and Waterford. As regards the status of the N25 Waterford-to-Glenmore project, the preferred transport route was selected in 2021. As the scheme did not receive an allocation for 2025, it cannot progress to the design and environmental evaluation phase at this time and remains at the end of the route options selection phase. As with all projects in the current NDP, however, the delivery programme for this project will be kept under review in future years and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope to TII.

The Minister understands from TII that three high-collision sites have been identified in recent years on this section of the N25. One site at Curraghmore was improved as part of a pavement scheme in 2020 and saw the introduction of central hatching and ghost island junctions; another at Gaulstown involved roadside boulders being removed; and at Ballynamona a fixed speed camera is expected to go live in the next few weeks. In recent years, substantial lengths of timber post and rail fence along this section of the N25 have been replaced with tension mesh fence, making the roadside boundary more forgiving.

The signage at the end of the southbound climbing lane near Glenmore is under review by Kilkenny County Council. A scheme to improve this has been designed and is expected to be implemented in the coming months.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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The volume of traffic on this route has increased hugely. For 2024, we are looking at a figure of 15,000. That should be 8,000 or 9,000. This route has hugely exceeded what it was built for. There are also 11 local road junctions along this road now. This road was not built for those. We have what is the main route for Wexford traffic coming in to go to the hospitals. More than 80 people have died in the last 40 years. This is an urgent road project. Kilkenny County Council has more than done its job; now we need funding for it. Transport Infrastructure Ireland has committed to carry out a review of the road layout at particular junctions, which I have spoken about, including at the Rhu Glenn, but how is this acceptable? This is urgent.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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In the Minister of State's response she said TII has identified three high-collision sites. That in and of itself tells us how important this road scheme is. Three high-collision sites have been identified because, I would imagine, of the number of fatalities which have happened since 2022. We also have local authorities in the area telling the Minister for Transport very clearly that the road is operating beyond capacity. We have very concerned motorists and very concerned members of the community who are raising these issues, we have the local authority at the highest level raising public safety concerns and road safety concerns and we have the TII identifying high-collision sites on stretches of that road, yet the funding has not come this year. I just find it incredible and I just cannot get my head around the fact that what is only €750,000 has not been allocated this year to proceed this project. I ask that the Minister of State take this back to the Minister for Transport and urge that he reconsider and provide the funding for this year.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I will raise the matter with the Minister, Darragh O'Brien. Approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds has been provided to TII for national roads in 2025. In line with the NDP and Government policy, TII has sought to allocate national road funding to local authorities in a manner which seeks to achieve the following key outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; and progressing major projects which are at an earlier stage of the development pipeline.

An allocation of approximately €6.6 million has been provided to Kilkenny County Council for national roads in 2025. A number of new roads projects which are included in the current NDP have already been delivered. This includes the N22 Ballyvourney-to-Macroom project, the Dunkettle interchange upgrade, the N5 from Westport to Turlough and the Moycullen and Listowel bypasses.

A review of the NDP is being undertaken and the outcome of that review will inform TII on the schemes to be progressed over the coming years, pending the availability of sufficient funding. The programme for Government commits to investing in all road projects in the current NDP. The programme for Government commits to increased funding for new roads as part of the NDP review and to the maintenance of existing roads. I will raise the matter with the Minister.