Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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935. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the economic importance of the Ringaskiddy area, and recent approval by An Bord Pleanála for the Port of Cork to relocate its operations to Ringaskiddy, subject to improvements to the road network, if he will prioritise the upgrading of the N28 in the Government’s capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28812/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects  such as the N28 is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.  Due to the major cutbacks in Exchequer funding for roads, priority has had to be given to the maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure rather than new projects. The capital allocations proposed for my Department in 2016 and 2017 indicate that the NRA will be continuing to operate within a very constrained budget for the next number of years. 

The scope for any new improvement projects will depend on the availability of additional capital funding in the future. Once the proposed capital plan is published I will assess what scope there is to progress new improvement projects.