Vol. 436 No. 4
35 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Environment the reason the N. 71 national secondary road is not upgraded to national primary status; and if he will consider the upgrading of the former T.65 road from Bandon to Bantry, County Cork, as a national primary or national secondary route.
The case for upgrading national secondary road N71 to national primary status has been examined in my Department but the conclusion is that reclassification is not warranted. I would point out, however, that the National Development Plan proposes to increase investment in the national secondary road network generally and that the Plan identifies the N71 as a route of significant economic importance which will be targeted for investment during the period of the plan. Over £3.85 million in grants has already been provided for works on the N71 between the years 1990 and 1992. This year, likely expenditure from grants on the N71 will amount to over £4.6 million, the bulk of which is being allocated to the Cork/Bandon section. The Bandon/Dunmanway/Bantry regional road (R586) broadly parallels the N71 and its reclassification to national status would not be justified.
