Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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771. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will seek to amend the Government's capital investment plan to include funding the proposed N56 Letterkenny relief road to enable Transport Infrastructure Ireland to fund this vital project aimed at addressing the traffic gridlock that Letterkenny constantly endures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21200/16]

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 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. 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 look implementation of the PPP road programme which is already underway. In this context it was not possible to consider a range of projects for inclusion in the Capital Plan 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.