Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber and thank him for his attendance. I join members of Monaghan County Council in highlighting a stretch of roadway on the main N2, which is the Dublin to Derry road. It is a stretch of 47 km from Clontibret in County Monaghan to Ardee in County Louth. Monaghan County Council recently commissioned a report from a firm of consultants on the safety aspects of the road and it makes for very stark and sober reading.

The stretch of road deals with approximately 10,000 vehicles per day, 10% of which are heavy goods vehicles. The road incorporates more than 30 junctions, more than 40 accesses and more than 75 field gates. This is more than 150 locations at which drivers can turn onto or off the roadway. A total of 42 collisions took place over an eight-year period between 2008 and 2016 in which fatalities and injuries occurred. There were 11 fatal accidents on the stretch of roadway during this period. There were also two serious accidents and 29 minor injury accidents. Fatal collisions accounted for 26% of all injuries sustained on this stretch of roadway. The percentage of head-on collisions was high, representing 64% of all fatal collisions. There was one collision per kilometre on the stretch of roadway between January 2008 and May 2016, which is quite frightening. The report shows clearly this road is not fit for purpose. It was neither designed nor built for the traffic that now travels on it and these accidents are, unfortunately, proof of this.

Measures have been taken recently to counteract some of this tragedy, for example, junctions have been redesigned, but, unfortunately, it seems what we are doing is applying a sticking plaster when major surgery is required. A 2+2 motorway is seen as the safest option and was the main option recommended by the consultant firm that reported to Monaghan County Council last month. A 2+1 roadway was judged to have insufficient capacity. A total of 70% of all fatal crashes involved crossovers, which would have been prevented if we had a 2+2 roadway. It is estimated a figure of €88 million is required to rectify it.

Many lives have been lost along this stretch of roadway. If the Minister ever gets an opportunity to travel on it, he would be struck by the number of memorials erected by family members to loved ones lost on the stretch of roadway. It is quite striking and very depressing.

Roads, as we know, are vital for business, trade, communications and communities. Surely the main focus should be that people can travel on them safely. The Minister's brief is wide and funds are limited, but I ask respectfully that he prioritise this piece of roadway so the people who use it can do so on a safe manner. On the last occasion he was in the House several months ago, we discussed the same stretch of roadway. Unfortunately, that same day a fatality had occurred and I know the Minister was quite shocked to hear it. It is a serious issue and one that needs addressing. I would appreciate it if the Minister could look at it in a favourable light.