Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 1995

Vol. 457 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Cross-Border Road Network.

Mr. D. Ahern:

The upgrading of the section of the road network between Newry and Dundalk has been sought for some time. Substantial development of the road network between Rosslare and Larne has taken place and it is one of the key desires of our EU masters that we should put in place a proper road structure between Larne and Rosslare. This has received priority funding. At the same time £80 million has been allocated to the upgrading of the railway link between Dublin and Belfast.

Unfortunately, we on this side of the Border have been concentrating on the road network from Dublin to the Border. Work on the Balbriggan bypass is about to start, and the Dunleer bypass has been completed. Later this year, or early next year, work on the continuation of that bypass will commence and bring the motorway to the Border. On the northern side of the Border there is motorway for a considerable distance, from Larne to Newry. However, it appears that the powers that be are determined that the road between Newry and Dundalk will remain as a single carriageway.

All public representatives and the various bodies North and South have highlighted the need for this to be given priority. Recently Séamus Mallon and I co-sponsored the very successful Dundalk-Newry Conference at which there were some major players, including Dr. Tony O'Reilly, Sir Patrick Mayhew and about 350 business people from all walks of life on both sides of the Border. One of the major recommendations of that conference was that priority should be given to the planning of a motorway between the towns of Newry and Dundalk.

Unfortunately nothing has been done, despite all the efforts of the CBI, IBEC, the East Border Region Committee which is made up of local authorities on either side of the Border, county councils on either side of the Border and the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body. Mr. Séamus Mallon said that the Minister responsible in the North, Mr. Malcolm Moss, had said in Newry some time ago that the British authorities were not prepared to upgrade the road between Newry and Dundalk to motorway status, although what is called the Newry bypass is nearing completion. This will not link the motorways north and south of the Border.

At the penultimate plenary session of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Dublin the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs indicated that officials of the Department of the Environment and their counterparts in Britain had agreed, in the short term, to examine ways of upgrading the existing carriageway and, in the long term, to commission a study on the matter. Neither Séamus Mallon nor I was satisfied with that response; we felt it was another way of putting the matter on the long finger.

Since then the two Governments have responded to the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body. The Irish Government more or less reiterated what the Tánaiste stated six months previously and the British response was rather negative, indicating that it was not within their plans to co-ordinate with the Irish Government to build this short link between a major motorway on the Southern side of the Border and Newry. The British response is disappointing.

I am sure the Minister will tell me the matter is to be dealt with by the Anglo-Irish Secretariat, but that is not acceptable. British foot-dragging has been the hallmark of the peace process in the past year; there has also been foot-dragging in what would be a practical way of uniting the people of this country and assisting Border areas which have suffered more than most as a result of the violence. I urge the Minister to raise this matter at the highest level. As the building of this link route would not cost a great deal of money, all the necessary avenues for obtaining EU funds should be considered.

While I welcome the upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast rail link at a cost of £80 million, which will shorten travelling time between Dublin and Belfast by 20 minutes, the upgrading of the road structure between Newry and Dundalk would cost a great deal less. I ask the Minister to use his good offices and to up the ante to provide this road link.

Mr. O'Shea:

On behalf of my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Howlin, I welcome this opportunity to place on the record details of the progress which has been made in improving cross-Border road infrastructure.

A little more than 12 months ago, more than 110 cross-Border roads were subject to closure orders and physically impassable, while there had been little or no tangible progress in resolving issues relating to the Dublin-Belfast road. This position has now been substantially reversed.

In relation to the Dundalk to Newry road, Minister Howlin met with his Northern Ireland counterpart, Malcolm Moss, MP, in February last, and agreed a two-stage approach. Short-term measures will be implemented to improve the safety and capacity of the existing road, taking account of the completion both of the New Dundalk inner relief road and the final section of the Newry by-pass. A report on measures to meet this commitment will be finalised by the end of this month and the immediate and speedy implementation of its recommendations will be pursued.

However, this can be only an interim step. As a consequence, it was agreed at the ministerial meeting last February to commission a study of route options to provide a long-term solution to transportation needs over this section of the Dublin-Belfast road. This study will take account of environmental factors, the completion of major projects, such as the Dunleer to Dundalk motorway, and investment priorities elsewhere on the route.

Mr. D. Ahern:

It has been studied for the past 20 years.

Mr. O'Shea:

A brief for the study has been agreed and a public notice was placed in the daily papers last week inviting consultants to indicate their interest in undertaking this study. In parallel with this an application is being finalised jointly with the Northern Ireland authorities seeking assistance towards the cost of the study from the newly created Trans-European Network Financial Instrument. To develop the terms of reference, select consultants and oversee progress, a joint project board has been established between the two Administrations. Consultants are expected to be appointed to undertake the study by February next and the report should be available by year end.

What is being considered here is a major project, some 16 km in length, travelling through two jurisdictions. It is vital, therefore, that all route options are properly assessed and adequate groundwork laid for the subsequent planning and design stages and public consultation. This will, of course, take time and that is why short-term measures have also been agreed to address traffic needs in the interim.

Mr. D. Ahern:

We are no further on.

Mr. O'Shea:

The Dundalk-Newry route is, of course, only one of a number of issues in relation to cross-Border roads where significant progress is being made.

Another strategic route which is important to cross-Border traffic is the A5-N2 Derry-Omagh-Ballygawley-Monaghan-Ardee road which links Donegal and the western counties of Northern Ireland to Dublin. While traffic volumes on this road are modest, improvements are necessary to relieve congestion at certain points and to provide overtaking opportunities at others. On the A5, work near major towns such as Omagh and Strabane, and schemes to improve sight lines and provide climbing lanes on a number of inter-urban sections, have been completed. Improvement works on the N2 have been completed at Aclint, south of Carrickmacross, at Broomfield, Castleblayney, and at Corlatt near Monaghan, and are under way at North Road, Finglas. A link from the N2 to the N1 motorway is planned at Ardee and, in the light of that, future improvement of the N2 will focus on the section north of the Ardee link and particularly on by-passes of towns such as Carrickmacross and Castleblayney.

A large number of local roads which crossed the Border were closed until late last year due to closure orders. On foot of the decision of the northern authorities to remove these orders, liaison arrangements were quickly set up to co-ordinate necessary works on both sides of the Border and, as a result, significant progress has been made in reopening these roads. There are 113 Border crossing points on public roads — including the N3 which is cut at Aghalane Bridge — which had been the subject of closure orders. At this stage, almost all have been fully reopened to traffic on both sides of the Border except for a small number where more extensive works are necessary.

As regards the construction of Aghalane Bridge, the only national road cut by the troubles, the broad outline of the works and financing for this project have been agreed. Preliminary design work is now in hand and it is expected that construction will commence in 1996.

On behalf of Minister Howlin, I assure the House that excellent progress has been and is being made in relation to cross-Border road development, and we can look forward to the continuation of this progress.

Mr. D. Ahern:

Unfortunately, that is not so.

An Ceann Comhairle:

Deputy Molloy was selected to raise a matter on the Adjournment. However, I understand he is unavoidably absent and wishes to extend his apologies to the House, the Minister and the Department concerned. We will proceed to Deputy McDaid's matter.