Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I recognise the road Senator Murphy intends to discuss.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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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.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Murphy for clearly articulating the importance of the N61 project. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in respect of the national roads programme. I am responding on his behalf.

Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is then a matter for Tll, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Tll ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework, NPF, and the NDP.

Under the revised NDP launched in October, approximately €5.1 billion is earmarked for new national road projects to 2030. 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 road projects, including the completion of projects that are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others. The progression of any project will be subject to compliance with Government policy, availability of funding and further approvals. All projects under the NDP or, indeed, any proposed projects outside of the scope of it will typically require the necessary approvals under the public spending code. This will include Government approval in cases where project costs are estimated to be above €100 million.

In line with the public spending code and planning requirements, two sets of approvals are typically required for a proposed new national road project to proceed to construction: approval at specific decision gates under the code, including of the project business case, and approval by An Bord Pleanála of an application for development consent. The necessity to meet the requirements of the public spending code and any applicable planning consent, along with an adequate capital budget, are key to delivering national road projects.

The N61 is a national secondary route in County Roscommon, connecting Athlone to Boyle via Roscommon and Tulsk. Regarding the N61 Ballymurray to Knockcroghery element, Tll has provided an update on this scheme. Technical advisers were appointed in early 2019 to progress the planning and design of the scheme. The scheme has now progressed through the route option selection phase. Environmental and technical surveys have been completed and an emerging preferred route was identified in late 2021. The emerging preferred route was presented to the public in December 2021 and January 2022. Given funding constraints in 2022, TIl was not in a position to provide funding to progress the overall scheme in 2022, as the Senator outlined. However, I refer to the earlier point made in the response I have given. The completion of projects that are already at construction stage is where many of the resources are going at present. Obviously, a lot of money has gone into this project to get it to this stage and I am sure it will progress in time and that the investment will not be lost. For now, however, TII has not allocated funding to it for 2022.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the reply. It is regrettable that TII did not see fit to put funding into it for 2022, but that is the position. I hope, and I know the Minister of State will bring this message back, that we can get this development back on course as quickly as possible. It is vital that we upgrade this road, not only for the economy of the area and the wider region but also, more importantly, from a safety perspective. It is very important for safety. It is an €80 million project but, obviously, costs will have risen. We are now in very uncertain times given how things are. I hope it will not become a victim of the current circumstances.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I intend to push this matter with the Minister and the Cabinet. I appreciate the Minister of State coming to the House today to outline the up-to-date position.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Senator Murphy can rest assured that I will bring the points he articulated clearly here about the importance of this road to the Minister. Approximately €616 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided to TII for national roads in 2022. In line with the NDP and Government policy, TII is allocating national roads funding to local authorities for 2022 in a manner which seeks to achieve the following outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progress major projects in or near construction; progress major projects which are pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline; and prioritise any remaining funds for major projects which provide for local bypasses and compact growth in Ireland's towns and villages.

It is necessary to prioritise projects for funding in a manner which seeks to achieve key outcomes in line with the NDP and NPF. As a result of this, while a large majority of the projects were issued a funding allocation in 2022, TII was unable to provide an allocation for a small number of projects. The delivery programme for these projects will be kept under review for next year and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII. Although TII was not in a position to provide funding to progress the overall scheme, in 2022 funding of €300,000 was provided under TII's minor improvements programme to progress improvements on the section of the route. That addresses some of the concerns the Senator raised, but I take his point about the need for progression of the overall project as soon as possible and will refer it back to the Minister.