Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Indeed, I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad this afternoon.

Today I am speaking, once again, to highlight the urgent and worsening situation at Foildarrig Bridge in Duagh, which is situated in north Kerry. It is a critical piece of infrastructure that has been forced to close again this week following heavy rainfalls which caused movement in the remedial works that were granted by the Department of Transport, thankfully, over a year and a half ago. The engineers have assessed the structure and deemed it unsafe again, leaving the community facing yet another period of disruption mere months after the 16-week closure last year. This is not a new problem. It is a chronic issue that has now reached breaking point.

In spring 2024, remedial works were carried out on Foildarrig Bridge in an effort to stabilise the structure and address ongoing erosion. While those works were welcome, they were clearly not the long-term solution the bridge needed. Last December, Kerry County Council management confirmed that an application had been made to the Department of Transport under the climate change adaptation and resilience works programme to finally address the erosion issue in a permanent and durable way. Unfortunately, that application was not successful. Now we are facing an even more urgent deadline. The funding mechanism for the next round, for 2026 funding, is closing on Friday, 20 November. Kerry County Council is applying again and I am imploring the Minister today to ensure that the future of this road and this bridge is prioritised for immediate support.

The people I represent cannot continue to endure recurring closures. When this bridge shuts, it tears through the daily life of this community, cutting off access to businesses, schools, shops, farms, all services, the GAA pitch and the community centre in Duagh. Indeed, our long-awaited greenway has an entrance point on this road which will be denied during closures. It adds miles to every journey. It drains time, resources and economic activity from an area that simply cannot absorb repeated disruptions of this scale.

We urgently need a two-stage commitment. The first is immediate funding for design work to identify and scope the long-term engineering solutions that will finally stabilise the bridge and protect it against future weather-related events. The second is a guarantee that once design work is complete, the Department will support the drawdown of the specific capital funding required to carry out these emergency essential works. Without this, we will continue to live in a cycle of closures which is unfair to everyone in my area. Emergency assessments and temporary fixes are not acceptable for the people of Duagh and, indeed, the whole of north Kerry and the surrounding communities, or for the businesses and families who rely on this route every day.

The severity of this situation cannot be overstated. It has to be made a priority. Today I am asking the Minister to ensure that Foildarrig Bridge is treated with the urgency it deserves, that funding streams are fully utilised and that this vital piece of infrastructure is finally secured for the long-term future of the community I proudly represent.