Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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180. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the proposed Drogheda northern cross route; if the plans have been amended recently due to the closure of Laurence's Gate to traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25047/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I presume the Deputy is enquiring about the application for funding by Louth County Council for the above project under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), which is aimed at relieving critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing. 

A LIHAF call for proposals was issued to all local authorities in August 2016. It was open to all local authorities to apply for funding towards the capital cost of public infrastructure, which, when provided, would secure the early delivery of additional housing at considerable scale and more affordable price points, with developments in excess of 500 units in the Dublin area, or in excess of 200 units in areas outside Dublin.

21 local authorities submitted a total of 74 proposals in October 2016. On 28 March 2017, I announced funding for 34 projects under LIHAF. The total cost of these projects is €226.46 million, of which €169.65 million is to be funded under LIHAF with local authorities funding the remaining €56.81 million. These public infrastructure projects will be key to the delivery of 23,000 housing units over the next four years, with a longer term projection of up to 70,000 units as the selected sites are fully built out. 

Louth County Council submitted three projects for consideration under LIHAF funding.  LIHAF funding was approved for an access road in Newtown, Drogheda in the amount of €1.22m and an access road in Mount Avenue, Dundalk in the amount of €3.3m.  However, while the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) in Drogheda was one of a number of proposals that merited funding, it was not possible to include the project in the March 2017 approvals, within the level of funding available.  Qualifying proposals such as this one may be re-considered for LIHAF funding in the event that an approved proposal does not proceed or that additional LIHAF funding becomes available. 

I understand from Louth County Council that the plans for the Port Access Northern Cross Route are not affected by the recent decision of Drogheda Municipal District elected members to agree to the closure of St. Laurence’s Gate to vehicular traffic. The Council has advised that the PANCR remains a priority project and a number of  housing projects which are ready to progress in that area require the upgrading of the road infrastructure. The Council is currently examining options open to it to deliver the required infrastructure on a phased basis.