Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on his engagements with his Cabinet colleagues regarding the inclusion of a bypass for Monaghan town in the National Development Plan; the steps that Monaghan County Council must take to secure its inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24846/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the National Roads Programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the National Planning Framework and the NDP.

In 2025, approximately €9.3 million was allocated for national roads in County Monaghan. This includes €3m to progress the N2 project between Clontibret and the Border.

With regard to an east-west bypass of Monaghan town, it is a matter for the local authority, in the first instance, to engage with TII regarding the progression of any proposed national road project. I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight that all projects, including those listed in the NDP or any revision of the NDP, require statutory approval and compliance with the Infrastructure Guidelines.

The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation are leading the review of the NDP, and work is ongoing within my Department to contribute to this review, with input from TII and other agencies. The review of the NDP will be aligned with the National Planning Framework and Project Ireland 2040 and is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Funding commitments for National Roads for 2026 and beyond are currently under consideration as part of this review.