Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport address the pressing public concerns about the routes proposed for the Galway outer city bypass? Six routes were proposed in the past few weeks. The process of route selection at a meeting of 500 people last Thursday night was deemed to be unsatisfactory. People's homes, their families and communities have been put under incredible pressure. The process of route selection has been deemed hasty, a point with which I agree.Everybody is in agreement that a solution is needed to Galway's traffic congestion problems. We understand that a solution to these problems will involve some level of disruption and perhaps some level of destruction. We would expect the planner to ensure the disruption would be kept to a minimum and the brief to the consultants Arup would be to ensure the minimum level of destruction of homes and communities.

We are faced with six routes which involve the destruction of between 50 to 120 homes. In one case it could involve the destruction of 20 homes, including three thatched cottages in the famine village of Menlo, a heritage village. At some future time that village could be a UNESCO protected village that would be important to Galway's bid for the European City of Culture. Four of the routes will involve the destruction of Galway racecourse, which dates from 1869. One of the routes involves the destruction of the recently opened Bushy Park national school - I attended the opening - and in particular the astroturf. A doctor was very concerned about the health implications of a major road such as this passing by a children's playground. One of the routes involves the destruction of the university playing pitches.

The process of route selection has been most unsatisfactory. People have heard about the proposals only in the past three weeks. They have until 27 February to submit their comments.

I have spoken to Arup and made the point that if there were a sufficient number of submission against all of the routes, would they start the process again. Arup said "No, not unless the lead client, that is Galway County Council and the city council pull us off.". I ask the Minister to take my proposal to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and to the Taoiseach that this process would be stopped until there is adequate consultation by Arup with the various communities involved. We are asking that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, would instruct Galway County Council as the lead client to instruct the NRA to request Arup to prepare a new transport solution in consultation with the residents and their communities.

There was cross-party support that all six proposed routes would fall at last Thursday's meeting. There was unanimity that the six routes were completely unacceptable as the decision was arrived at without meaningful consultation and involved a large level of destruction. However, there was no agreement on an exact solution, but I request that Arup be given a different brief, not just to consider roads,

Earlier another proposed route was turned down in the European Court that involved the destruction of eight homes. There is a big difference between the destruction of eight homes and up to 120 homes. In that case those people were frozen out for 15 years and could not sell their lands. We do not want to go back to that situation.

We have been told that the cost of the by-pass will be between €500 million and €750 million. Would that money be available if Arup were to get a different brief to come up with sustainable friendly traffic solutions, including light rail, bus transport as well as roads? The current proposals are too destructive. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address this issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe this afternoon. The matter was debated in the Dáil on 18 February during Topical Issues but I am happy to explain the current position regarding the N6 again this afternoon.As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe has responsibility for overall policy and funding in respect of the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, however, is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. The assessment and prioritisation of individual national road projects is a matter for the NRA within its capital budget in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Acts.

The Minister is aware that Galway County Council, on its own behalf and on behalf of Galway City Council, is currently focused on addressing existing transportation issues in Galway city and surrounding areas. As part of this process, Galway County Council has initiated a public consultation to inform the public of the transportation options which have been developed to address the problems identified, the constraints identified to date, the implications of the EU Habitats Directive and the project programme. The relevant options cover public transport, smarter travel and road elements. As indicated in the public consultation documents, the position of Galway city between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, together with the presence of designated sites, presents significant constraints for developing new infrastructure. Galway County Council has, therefore, focused on considering all alternatives in order to minimise the impact on designated sites. The stated objective of this phase of the council's work is to identify a suitable study area for the examination of alternative routes and transportation solutions, determine the key constraints within this study area, develop feasible route options and transportation solutions and carry out a systematic assessment of these options leading to the selection of a preferred route corridor or transportation solution. Such solution will form the basis for the detailed design.

Road options to connect the R336 on the west of the city to the existing N6 to the east have been identified in regard to the possible road component of the transport solution. Six such options have been included in the public consultation process. Galway County Council has indicated that these are draft options which are subject to change in light of more detailed assessments, ongoing studies and the results of the public consultation. In this context, the Minister understands that the purpose of the recent second consultation is threefold. First, its purpose is to update the public on work to date on the project which includes the presentation of the options under consideration. Its second objective is to obtain input from the public on any other additional significant constraints and the impact the proposals may have. Third, it offers the public an opportunity to propose further alternative options which had not previously been considered. The design team will examine the feasibility of such options and determine whether they merit inclusion in the final appraisal of options. The Minister has also been informed that the design team is currently engaged in individual meetings with directly affected landowners and the public to provide more detail on the various options under consideration.

A public consultation process is underway which allows for the public and other stakeholders to make submissions until the end of February in respect of route options. The process will afford the Senator the opportunity to make an input if she believes that is appropriate. The Minister urges members of the public in Galway to engage with the public consultation process to ensure that they are fully informed and have their say on the proposed options. The information received will be collated by the design team and used in the assessment of the route options. I understand that the assessment process is due to be completed by the end of March 2015 and an emerging preferred route option will be identified. This emerging route corridor will subsequently be put on public display.

This matter has now been raised in both the Dáil and Seanad. As such, the Senator is putting down a clear marker of her concerns about this matter and the effect she believes the project could have on the people she represents and the wider city and county. The process is being led by the local authority. I have outlined the Minister's role, which is responsibility for all road policy in the country and working to deliver funding for projects prioritised by the NRA. While the Minister must wait until the process in Galway city and county reaches a conclusion, he acknowledges concerns about the matter and hopes the process can be used to respond to matters of legitimate concern to many within the city and beyond.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his lengthy reply. I accept that there are constraints posed by the River Corrib and Galway's status as a medieval city but the effect is not minimal as implied in the Minister of State's response. He said something interesting which I would like him to clarify. He said that a third aspect of the process was that it offered the public an opportunity to propose further alternative options which had not previously been considered.Is the Minister of State saying that members of the public are free to come up with a new proposal for Arup? Arup has not said that to me. Rather, it has said that it will press ahead with the process unless it is pulled off by the county council. That is an interesting option, if it is true; I am referring here to the third paragraph on page 2 of the reply.

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to clarify what I have already stated and what the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe has relayed to me. The purpose of the recent second consultation is three-fold: first, to update the public on works carried out to date; second, to obtain input from the public on any significant constraints that have been identified and impacts they may have on the proposals; and third, to give the public an opportunity to propose further alternative options which had not previously been considered.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Does that mean public transport options and not just the roads?

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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This is a major infrastructure project and I have just clarified for the Senator that the public consultation process is an opportunity for her and any other stakeholders, including members of the public, to make submissions and to make their views known. As I have already said, for the record, it offers the public an opportunity to propose further alternative options. That said, I have also stated in my response that there are many significant constraints in the general Galway area, about which Senator Healy Eames would know more than I would.

I have some experience of this process with the building of a similar by-pass in Waterford City a number of years ago. A number of corridor options were considered but many were constrained. One works through the process by fully engaging wit the stakeholders and while Senator Healy Eames is right to represent their views here today, there is a process in place that rightfully and transparently deals with submissions. A report is drawn up at the end of that process and a recommended route ultimately comes out of that. That is as much information as I can give the Senator today and I hope it is of help to her.