Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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53. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department historically received any application to have the R561 between Castlemaine and Inch, County Kerry, considered as a national secondary road; if he will provide details of any such date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55769/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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To the best of my knowledge, my department has not received an application from Kerry County Council, the relevant Roads Authority, seeking the reclassification of the R561 as a national secondary road.

The classification of a national or regional road is a Ministerial responsibility under Section 10 of the Roads Act 1993. Requests to classify such a road are made in consultation with TII and consideration criteria include: the function of the road including access to towns and cities, major ports and airports; geographical regions; population centres; and tourist areas. Consideration is also given to the continuity of classification throughout the length of road, whether roads are feeder connections or links to the national road network, cross section, alignment, and structural integrity, as well as the volume of heavy commercial vehicles carried. The funding source for road improvement is not a consideration of classification of road type.

My department carries out periodic reviews of road classifications. Any proposal in relation to the R561 between Castlemaine and Inch could be considered in this context, if such an application where to be submitted by Kerry County Council.