Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I know he has travelled this road on many occasions because of where his in-laws are located. He knows how important and necessary it is to upgrade it. I welcome the Minister of State. The issue I am raising is not within his brief but I appreciate his coming here to take it.

The N61 is a very busy national secondary route from Athlone to Roscommon. In fact, one could say it serves people travelling from Donegal to Wexford as it is the route they link onto to access the N4, N5, N63, N56, N60 and a number of other regional roads. It really is a very important part of infrastructure in County Roscommon and, indeed, for road users from different parts of the country.

The route was identified as a priority one scheme in need of attention in the national secondary roads scheme study of 2011, more than ten years ago. We have moved on from there and I am glad to say that, in recent years, it has been prioritised and routes have been reviewed. I want to talk about a 15 km stretch of the route, namely, the Ballymurray-Knockcroghery bypass. It appears that under TII's plans for 2022, there is no funding available to continue the progress on this route. There is no money for design and environmental plans to be put in place. The question I am being asked by people living along the route, motorists and local authority members is whether the project has been shelved. My information is that it has not been shelved but I await the Minister of State's reply. It does seem to have been pushed back.

I emphasise to the Minister of State, and I ask him to take this message back to the Department of Transport, that we really need to get this project going as speedily as possible because it is a route with a lot of danger for motorists. Unfortunately, there have been a large number of accidents on it. There are schools, churches and businesses along the route and thousands of vehicle travel it every day. It is not a quiet national secondary route through our county; it links to many other roads. I ask the Minister of State to take the matter back to the Minister. I am making a strong case that TII must get back to putting funding into this particular route in order that the 15 km bypass can proceed without further delay.