Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator and I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross. The Minister has responsibility for overall policy regarding and funding of the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Within the overall context of Project Ireland 2040, the national development plan, NDP, has been developed by Government to underpin the successful implementation of the new national planning framework, NPF. This provides the strategic and financial framework for TII's national roads programme for the period from 2018 to 2027. In the ten years covered by the plan, in excess of €11 billion will be invested in the road network. There are two separate road proposals to alleviate traffic congestion for the north Cork city area. Under the NDP, there is a reference to an NRR, linking the N20 to Dunkettle. The Cork NRR is a scheme complementary to but independent from the M20 Cork to Limerick scheme and the NDP indicated that this scheme could be best assessed as part of the overall transport strategy for Cork. Another option is the provision of a Cork northern distributor road which is being considered under the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS.The NTA is in the process of finalising the CMATS, which will be published in the near future. This strategy will establish the context for the consideration of the Cork NRR and the northern distributor road as part of an overall transport strategy for the metropolitan Cork area, which would include the examination of public transport and demand management options. The Cork northern distributor road will be appraised first and afterwards consideration will be given to the need for the proposed Cork NRR.

The original preferred route for the N40 Cork NRR was established by Cork County Council and Cork City Council circa 2007-08. It is approximately 22 km in length. I refer to the east and west sections. As this will be subject to reappraisal, however, it is too early at this stage to establish whether it can be best delivered and justified as an eastern section or a western section, or both, and the impact the Cork northern distributor road will have on its appraisal.

The CMATS study that is currently under way will set the context under which both the Cork NRR and the northern distributor road are further examined and progressed, if appropriate, subject to the availability of funding. The Cork NRR, if progressed, will be determined in accordance with departmental guidance for scheme appraisal and the the TII project appraisal guidelines for national roads, including a route options assessment and business case. It is very technical.