Seanad debates

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Road Network

10:30 am

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this very important issue for the Commencement debate, and Senator Boyhan for chairing this session. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is very welcome. I hope he has some good news for us in terms of the new bridge for Newbridge, which is my new mantra. I will put it up on everything that I do.Everyone in the House, in the Dáil and in the area around Newbridge will know I am practically blue in the face from raising this issue. I have repeatedly called for a second bridge in Newbridge. I am confident there has been some progress on it and Kildare County Council is working to put in place what is needed from its end to find a solution. The bridge we need over the River Liffey is not just a bridge in its own right as it is part of an outer distributor ring road. The bridge is one quarter of the solution. With Kildare County Council working proactively with developers and the industry, we are three quarters of the way there. At national level we need funding for the bridge itself.

The people of Newbridge and the surrounding areas can wait no longer. This has been in every development plan for Newbridge for the past 20 years. It is vital infrastructure and has to be delivered. I know the Minister of State is familiar with the part of Newbridge I am speaking about. There are five schools practically on the bridge itself. There is a church and a number of crèches and doctors' surgeries. There are more than 1,500 houses in the eight housing estates that access the town through the bridge. It is ridiculous that in 2022 we still rely on one bridge that leads right into the centre of the town. It causes pandemonium, particularly at rush hour and when schools are opening and closing. I have to add at least 30 minutes to my journey every morning when I drive to Leinster House. This is indicative of what people experience and that is on a good day.

I am very proud to see Newbridge continue to grow and develop as a commercial heart. We have seen major investment by Primark and Lidl. Pfizer continues to grow its operations and staff numbers increase year on year. We are also home to a large number of independent family-run businesses. This is very positive. It concerns me when I speak to people, particularly from outside Newbridge, for example, in Milltown, Athgarvan, Rathangan and the Curragh, who say the problem with the traffic in Newbridge, which is directly linked to the bridge, puts them off going into their main regional town. They prefer to go elsewhere to spend their money. There is no doubt the lack of a second bridge is not only causing problems now but it is also hindering the potential for growth in Newbridge. Traffic and congestion are a major issue for everybody. The system we have in Newbridge is not fit for purpose. We do not have a proper traffic management plan. This is mainly down to the bridge.

We should use our development levies. For example, there was €7 million for the Primark distribution centre. In Kildare we have an agreement that 71.8% of commercial development levies go to roads. We need co-operation at a national level. We want to see the Department working with Kildare County Council to provide this vital infrastructure. I have further questions but I look forward to hearing the initial response of the Minister of State.

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am very familiar with the beautiful town of Newbridge. As the Senator knows, my mother is from Morristown.

The outgoing Italian ambassador, Mr. Paolo Serpi, is in the Gallery and I wish him well. My city of Kilkenny is twinned with Formigine, a city in northern Italy. The ambassador has had a fantastic tenure here and I wish him well in his future appointments.

The urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, is one of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027, and was launched in 2018, primarily to support the national planning framework's growth enablers for the five cities and other large urban centres. The URDF provides part-funding for applicant-led projects that will support more compact and sustainable development and enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and visit.

In keeping with the aims of the national planning framework and Project Ireland 2040, the URDF demonstrates a new and more tailored approach to the provision of Government support. Over its planned duration up to 2030, URDF support in excess of €2 billion will be targeted in an integrated, dynamic and responsive way to support the regeneration and rejuvenation of our towns and cities. Through the URDF, successful applicants receive targeted integrated support for innovative holistic solutions to the issues that have hindered the regeneration and rejuvenation of our large towns and cities.

To date, there have been two calls for proposals under the URDF, with a total of almost €312 million allocated so far in respect of the 87 projects approved under the first call, while in March 2021 URDF funding support of €1.3 billion was announced in respect of a countrywide programme of a further 45 proposals approved under the second call. To assist local authorities with the application process for the second call, the Department hosted a number of workshops to provide information on the purpose of the URDF programme and the types of proposals that would be considered for support.

In all, 75 proposals were considered, with every local authority submitting at least one application, and involving competing demands with a total combined value exceeding €2 billion. All applications were assessed in terms of their alignment with the intended purpose of the URDF programme and also their viability before being considered for approval. The 45 proposals approved in the second call in March 2021 build on the existing pipeline of URDF-supported projects launched under the first call. This URDF-supported programme of projects will ultimately contribute significantly to the transformative regeneration and development of our large towns and cities and to the achievement of the national planning framework and Project Ireland 2040 objectives.

Kildare County Council submitted four applications under the second call, three of which were successful, attracting a combined total €15,642,624 in URDF support. This URDF funding in the second call is in addition to €5.5 million already approved for four projects under the first call, bringing total URDF support for projects in Kildare County Council area to €21.1 million over both URDF calls. Kildare County Council's fourth proposal in respect of a second bridge over the River Liffey at Newbridge was one of 30 unsuccessful proposals. A copy of the detailed assessment of this proposal has been provided to Kildare County Council, and a feedback meeting on the matter has taken place between officials of the council and the Department. The ball is back in the court of Kildare County Council in terms of advancing the project further. Certainly the Department will give all support it can. I await the Senator's supplementary questions.

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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With the greatest of respect to the Minister of State, I did not need a lecture on the URDF. While he correctly stated that Kildare County Council submitted four applications, this particular application was highlighted as the second most important of those four. It was bypassed for whatever reason. We were very disappointed to receive word that the project was not included. The Department cannot simply wash its hands of this. It needs to work with the Department of Transport and Kildare County Council to find an innovative response. Kildare County Council is working proactively to provide three quarters of the funding for the project. The Minister of State has said it is back in the court of Kildare County Council. When will we have the next round of the URDF? The Minister of State spoke about one feedback meeting between the Department and Kildare County Council. Is this the only engagement that has taken place? Has there been other engagement? What plans does the Department have to support the people of Kildare as well as Kildare County Council in securing sufficient funding to make progress on this vital infrastructure?

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I acknowledge the disappointment of the Senator and the people of Newbridge that the second bridge over the River Liffey was not included in the second call of the URDF. Unfortunately, the project was deemed unsuccessful following a comprehensive assessment process that concluded it did not adequately meet the criteria for URDF support. I suggest that the local authority continue to engage with the Department and look at other mechanisms. There is significant funding available for active travel. It should look at a myriad of solutions. Road infrastructure is one part of the solution for a traffic problem but there is a wider set of solutions, particularly with regard to schools and active travel, such as cycling and walking, and trying to reduce car dependency in Newbridge town centre.That type of added innovation will give an extra dimension to any new application the local authority submits to the URDF. I cannot give the Senator a definitive answer on when the next round of calls will be, but I urge local authorities to continue to engage with my Department and, in regard to active travel, with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.