Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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24. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the next tranche of funding will be released in order to facilitate the necessary second bridge in Celbridge under the NDP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16235/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Overall responsibility for roads policy and funding for the implementation of transport strategies is a matter for the Minister for Transport. Nevertheless, the €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) provides part-funding to support certain applicant-led road projects, such as projects that enable the delivery of residential and mixed-use development.

In that context, approximately €10m of URDF funding has been allocated towards Kildare County Council’s proposal for a Celbridge to Hazelhatch Link Road. This has allowed the Council to proceed with the development of a preliminary business case for the project.

This project involves the proposed delivery of a 2km link road and second bridge over the River Liffey. It would provide essential infrastructure to support compact urban growth in Celbridge as well as enhanced connectivity between the town and Hazelhatch Train Station.

The Council recently submitted a Preliminary Business Case (PBC) to my Department as required under Approval Gate 1 of the Infrastructure Guidelines. My Department then sought a detailed cost report to further support this application as the project cost has increased from an initial cost of €13m to over €33m. A reply to this request was recently received and is currently under consideration by my Department.