Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The town of Killarney is choked with traffic almost daily. This is causing mass frustration for residents, local businesses and visitors alike. Members of the public are missing trains and buses, along with GP, dental and hospital appointments, and many others, because of the gridlock. Killarney in County Kerry is the capital of tourism in Ireland and is the main reason for visiting this country for many foreign travellers. Killarney has been catering for tourists since Victorian times and is renowned for its professionalism in the sector due to its long years of experience. This success that Killarney has at attracting visitors to the town has brought about a chronic traffic gridlock problem that must now be dealt with via a planned new road or bypass from Lissivigeen just outside Killarney and onwards to Farranfore. It is of the utmost importance that the Government continues to support the Killarney to Farranfore project financially, planning-wise, etc. A sum of €3 million has already been allocated this year by my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

Local residents in Killarney regularly miss trains and buses and doctor and dentist appointments. It could take six or seven minutes to walk from St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney to the railway station, but 35 minutes or 40 minutes in traffic. Taxi drivers have told me that to get around the town is a nightmare daily. Delivering goods to retail outlets is also a nightmare. I have experience of spending well over an hour getting from Lissivigeen to Fossa, a distance of just a few miles. This is a priority for the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and for all of us, including Kerry County Council. Killarney is a tourism flagship and attracts visitors in their hundreds of thousands, bringing much-needed foreign currency to these shores. The Government must support our tourism industry by forging ahead with the bypass from Killarney to Farranfore, or the Kerry-to-Cork economic corridor as the Taoiseach called it. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, must provide the funding at the earlier possible date. As Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on tourism, this is also a priority for me. I have raised this issue on several occasions in this House and I am pleading for this important infrastructure to be expedited.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this matter. The new programme for Government acknowledges "that good connectivity within the country ... is essential to foster continued economic growth, for communities, and our tourism industry". We have committed to investing in all road projects in the current national development plan, NDP, and to work on improving infrastructure to key tourism spots, making travel more convenient for visitors.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the national development plan, 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, the national planning framework 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 already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of several others. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this means there was a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2025. However, approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2025. This includes approximately €1 million in funding for the development of the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project.

This project is currently at the route options selection stage. Kerry County Council presented the preferred transport solution for the N22 Farranfore to Killarney scheme to the general public as part of public consultation No. 2 held on 11 and 12 November 2024. The consultation period ran for four weeks and concluded on 6 December 2024. The options selection phase is complete, design works are ongoing and ground investigation works are expected to commence shortly.

The N22 Killarney to Farranfore project would deliver improvements to approximately 27 km of the N22, as well as a bypass of the village of Farranfore and an outer bypass of Killarney. It is important to point out the project remains part of the national development plan, and sufficient funding has enabled the route options phase of the project to be concluded with a preferred route selected. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project will be kept under review for 2025 and in future years and it will be considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Killarney is the best town in Ireland for a town of its size. It is also the best town in Europe for a town of its size.

Everyone goes to Killarney. I cannot emphasise strongly enough how important this project is. It is in the making for quite a number of years but it has come to the point where action is required right now. It should be at the very top of the political priority list. It should be at the very top of Transport Infrastructure Ireland's priority list. I am again pleading for the funding to be made available and to expedite this hugely important piece of infrastructure.

It is Kerry County Council's top priority also. I mentioned the Chamber of Tourism and Commerce in Killarney. This is hugely important to the chamber. Its members see on a daily basis the effects of the chronic traffic jams and delays, etc. One cannot get around the town. I am repeating myself by calling it a nightmare because that is exactly what it is.

I plead with the Minister of State to take it up with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to make a case to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I have already mentioned it to Deputy O'Brien on a number of occasions and, obviously, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for public expenditure. I will be hammering this issue again in here until such time as it is delivered.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have been to Killarney as well, like most people in Ireland, on a number of occasions and had good memories coming away from it.

The N22 project is included in the national development plan, NDP, and has received a significant funding allocation for 2025. As I said, approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds was provided to TII for national roads this year. In line with the NDP and Government policy, TII 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 pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline.

A number of new roads projects which are included in the current national development plan have already been delivered. The national development plan is the vehicle by which projects are delivered. This includes the N22 Ballyvourney-to-Macroom project, the Dunkettle interchange upgrade, the N5 Westport-to-Turlough road project, and bypasses of Moycullen and Listowel. The programme for Government commits to increased funding for new roads as part of the national development plan review and to the maintenance of existing roads. I met with TII today to discuss funding and projects into the future.

This project has commenced and I do not believe we would be spending money on a project if we were not going to deliver it. I hope that it will get through all of the processes it needs to get through in order for it to be delivered. I will be talking again to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about it. He is fully aware of the importance of this project for Killarney.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I say "Hello" to Deputy Sherlock up in the Gallery with a contingent. The Deputy has her hands full.