Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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194. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to upgrade the N4 from Sligo to Dublin motorway; if, in the context of Brexit and its effects on the Border region, he will prioritise this upgrade in view of the lack of any motorway to the west and north west north of the M6; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33979/16]

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.  The planning, design and implementation of individual national 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.

The Capital Plan published in September 2015 sets out transport investment priorities to 2022.  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.  The scope for major road upgrade projects within the available capital envelope is, therefore, very limited. Nevertheless provision has been made in the Capital Plan for the upgrade of the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin road.