Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the purpose and the outcome of the meeting he had in recent times with a group (details supplied) in connection with the N59 in Connemara; if he has instructed Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Galway County Council to give this road priority resources both financial and human; if the upgrade of the N59 in County Galway will be given priority in the forthcoming government capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18983/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​As Minister 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 (including the N59) is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with Galway County Council. As the Deputy is aware, I facilitated a meeting between the N59 Action Group and the representatives from TII and Galway County Council regarding the N59 road on 21 February 2017 and  I wrote to the Action Group after the meeting indicating my understanding of the current position regarding planned overlay work and the upgrade of sections of the route. 

As the Deputy is also aware work on the upgrade of the Oughterard to Maam Cross section of the route is subject to the agreement of method statements by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and such agreement has not been reached to date. It is also the case that planning consent was refused for the upgrade of the Maam Cross to Clifden section of the route and the alignment, therefore, needs to be re-examined before a revised scheme can be considered. The upgrade of the N59, therefore, involves significant planning consent issues in which I have no role.  These are the primary issues, rather than the priority given the N59 under the Capital Plan.

As regards the allocation of resources to progress planned work in relation to the N59, within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of funding for individual projects is a matter for TII  in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act.  I have referred, therefore, the Deputy’s question to TII for further direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.