Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he can confirm the inclusion of the N52 Ardee bypass for consideration in the 2017 capital programme review. [20332/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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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.  Within its annual budget the planning, design and implementation of individual road projects, such as the Ardee Bypass is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

 As the Deputy is aware the Ardee Bypass was not included in the Capital Plan published in September 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 it is envisaged that 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.  In this context the Ardee bypass was one of the projects that it was not possible to include given the overall funding envelope available.  

As the Deputy is aware, the Government proposes to undertake a Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan, which will take stock of progress and provide the Government with an opportunity to consider the scope for increased levels of investment, including in the transport sector, taking economic growth and fiscal progress into account.