Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his question on the important matter of good transport connectivity in the Border area. I am delivering this response on behalf of the Minister for Transport who unfortunately could not be here today.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Act 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in conjunction 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 roads projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage and those close to it as well as the development of a number of others. As the greater proportion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this has meant that there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2024.However, approximately €411 million of Exchequer funding was provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024.

A major priority in the NDP, in line with the Department's investment hierarchy, is to maintain the quality and safety of the existing national road network. The NDP foresees an Exchequer allocation of circa €2.9 billion for the protection and renewal of existing national roads of the ten-year period to 2030, allocated fairly evenly across the decade. This includes funding for minor improvement projects, safety schemes such as junction upgrades and road realignment, and pavement renewal.

The N53 between Monaghan and Louth has been the subject of phased improvements under TII’s minor works programmes over recent years. Two improvement schemes have been completed to date. TIl is currently funding the Hackballscross to Rassan scheme on the N53 between Monaghan and Louth. An allocation has been provided in 2024 of €500,000 to Louth County Council. The project is currently at the enabling and procurement phase and comprises the realignment of approximately 3.4 km of the N53 between Hackballscross and Rassan.

Other projects in the region have been allocated funding in 2024. In County Monaghan, the N2 Clontibret to the Border scheme was allocated funding to progress the project through the design and environmental evaluation phase. This project is also in receipt of funding through the EU Connecting Europe Facility, CEF. In Louth, an allocation was made for the Ardee bypass which, when completed, would remove significant volumes of traffic from the town centre.

Details of the road scheme life cycle phases and decision gates are outlined in TII's major roads and greenways projects active list, which is available on the TII website. I hope this information is of assistance. I understand the Senator was requesting the cross-Border piece and it is not here in it, but I will bring that point back and raise it with the Minister.