Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am glad to get the opportunity to raise again the proposed Killarney bypass. I have raised this matter several times in this Chamber since I was elected to it in 2016. The Minister was in the Black Valley in Kerry last Friday. It was good to see a Minister in the Black Valley because it is a very remote place and we are glad that connectivity has improved with the launch of broadband in that area.

We need continued funding in this year's infrastructure investment programme to deliver the long-awaited Killarney bypass from Lissyviggen to Farranfore and from Lissyviggen to Castlelough on the Muckross Road. The safety of motorists is being compromised daily at the existing junctions at Coolcaslagh, Ballycasheen, Lewis Road and Aghadoe. Houdini would do well to escape and get on to the N22 at the bottom of Aghadoe. People's lives are in their hands daily trying to cross that road with cars coming out from Killarney as well. Coolgarriv, Farranfore, Gortnacurra and Fieries junction come on to the N22.

Many of the roads into Killarney are dedicated car parks. Every morning, the Tralee road from Dunrine to the Cleeny roundabout is bumper to bumper, with fierce delays. People coming down from Aghadoe cannot even get into the line of traffic at the bottom of Madam's Hill. It is backed up to Knockasarnet, Caragh and Aghadoe. Most days, cars are parked up as far as the railway crossing coming into Killarney from the Cork Road on the N22 out to the railway crossing, jammed at the Lissyviggen roundabout with people trying to exit on to the N22 coming from Barraduff off the N72. Mission Road is constantly bumper to bumper all day every day. It is a dedicated car park from Cliffords' football pitch entrance to Ballydowney, and up Hans Liebherr Road to the Cleeny roundabout is bumper to bumper every evening from 4.30 p.m to 6.30 p.m. Many evenings from 4.30 until after 6, the ring road from the Cleeny roundabout to the O'Shea roundabout and the Park Road roundabout is bumper to bumper, and people are so frustrated trying to get through to go the Cork Road to Barraduff. Thousands of visitors to Muckross House and the lakes of Killarney use the bumpiest road from Abbey Cross to Kenmare Place on top of all the people from Kenmare and Sneem who have to go through Killarney to get to Tralee or Limerick or further up the country and have to go around Kenmare Place instead of going across from Castlelough where the proposed bypass is to be located on to Lissyviggen and off up the country. The delay in Muckross Road is unbearable most of the time.

I demand that TII identify the preferred route next month as has been promised. As four possible routes were being assessed for many years, hundreds of acres of land have been effectively sterilised for more than 20 years. People could not get planning permission for family homes or farm buildings. They could not even build a hen house because of these four possible routes. We need to have the route defined very soon.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It was a pleasure to meet the Deputy in Killarney at the Black Valley last week when fibre broadband was being connected to the Black Valley. This is a sign of the Government's commitment to bring good infrastructure all around the country, including Kerry and Killarney. I thank the Deputy for giving a very detailed geography of the issues facing people using the existing road and the need for upgrades. This is all useful information.

The Minister for Transport has asked me to answer the question on his behalf. He has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding regarding the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts and in line with the NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TIl in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TIl ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility throughout the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects that are already at construction stage and those close to it as well as the development of a number of others. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this has meant there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2024. However, approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024.

Having regard to the funding constraint outlined above, it was not possible to provide an allocation to all national roads projects in the NDP for 2024. However, many new roads projects did receive funding. In addition, approximately €2.9 billion has been earmarked in the current NDP for the protection and improvement of the national road network. This funding is spread relatively evenly across the decade and will ensure the major investment that has taken place in the network in recent decades is safeguarded. It will also assist in delivering safer roads for all road users.

The N22 Killarney to Farranfore project would deliver improvements to approximately 27 km of the N22 as well as a bypass of the village of Farranfore and an outer bypass of Killarney. It is important to point out that the project remains part of the NDP and I can assure the Deputy that sufficient funding is in place to ensure the route options phase of the project will be concluded in 2024, so a preferred route will be selected in 2024 for this project. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project will be kept under review for 2025 and in future years and will be considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the assertion that the route will be defined by the end of the year, it is hoped by the end of October. This defined route would mean a lot to so many people because their lands have been sterilised all these years. I am concerned because we do need €1.5 million next year. I am sorry to say the Green Party spokesperson from Kenmare said that Killarney does not need a bypass and that we already have one. We have a ring road that was built more than 40 years ago and has not even been resurfaced during that time. Well in excess of 21,000 vehicles use this ring road every day. We have a crisis in Killarney and all around it. It is hard to do business in Killarney town or even visit because you cannot get in and out of it in reasonable time. I am asking the Government and the Minister for Transport to ensure they approve €1.5 million out of the investment programme for next year to ensure phase 3 of the Killarney bypass, which is also known as the Cork-Kerry economic corridor, is delivered next year to proceed to design and environmental evaluation, to deal with landowners, to agree accommodation works, and to continue with a planning application in phase 4.

I hear what the Minister of State is saying, that it is the job of TII to progress this.

Earlier this year, when I asked Peter Walsh at a meeting of the transport committee if he had funding for phase 2 this year, he clearly answered that he did not. The money comes from the Government. The Minister of State has to recognise that. I am pleading with the Government. Killarney and the surrounding area have waited 24 years for this project. The Government is pumping a great deal of money into the proposed Adare bypass, but we have suffered this year already. The money for the road out of Killarney at Fossa was taken back to resurface the roads this year because that work had to be done. It was agreed that the Government was going to give the money but it then pulled it back. That is not fair.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The proof that road projects are proceeding and being completed in Kerry is shown by the Listowel bypass, which was completed this summer. This year, €4.7 million was allocated for the construction of new national roads in Kerry and another €9.7 million was allocated for the improvement of the existing network. This is in addition to approximately €119 million in Exchequer capital funding which was allocated for the national road network in County Kerry between 2020 and 2023. The Deputy is right that TII is responsible for delivering the road network but the Government is the body that allocates the funding to TII and it has to work with what it is given.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

No money, no fun.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Due to the funding constraints for national roads this year, a prioritisation exercise was necessary. In line with the NDP and Government policy, the Minister for Transport has allocated national roads funding for 2024 in a manner which seeks to achieve the following outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; progressing major projects which are at pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline; and prioritising any remaining funds for major projects which provide for local bypasses and compact growth in Ireland's towns and villages.

As the Deputy said, there is a ring road around Killarney but it is only 3 km long.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That is 44 years old.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This is a much larger project that is more than 20 km long and which goes past Farranfore, as well as Killarney. It is a much more ambitious and larger project.