Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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254. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport why the proposed N52 Ardee bypass was not included in the Government's capital investment plan, Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38736/15]

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 Ardee Bypass is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. As I explained in my reply to the Deputy on the same issue (224 of 8 October 2015), decisions on the transport elements of the Capital Plan were framed by the conclusions reached in my Department’s Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport. Based on the findings in that report maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority over the next period and the bulk of the roads capital budget, over €4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with a further €600 million allocated for implementation of the PPP road programme which is already underway.

So while I recognised the need for some investment in new projects, the Ardee bypass was one of the projects that it was not possible to include given the overall funding envelope available.  Over the period of the Capital Plan funding for land transport, including roads, will be built up towards the levels needed to support adequate maintenance and development.