Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - Roads Upgrading.

Joe Walsh

Question:

136 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to upgrade the roadway from Glengarriff to Castletownbere, County Cork, to a national secondary road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12441/97]

Joe Walsh

Question:

137 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to upgrade the roadway from Castletownbere, County Cork, to Kenmare to a national secondary roadway in view of the increased traffic to and from the major fishery port of Castletownbere. [12442/97]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.

There are no current proposals before my Department for reclassification of the routes in question. A lengthy and comprehensive review of the national road system was brought to a conclusion in July 1994 with the making of the Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1994. I do not propose to make any major changes in the national road network in the near future. Traffic patterns will, however, continue to be monitored in order to identify any long-term changes which might have implications for the classified system.

Under the EU co-financed scheme of specific grants for non-national road improvement projects which are of economic benefit and help to generate employment, £2.25 million has been provided to Cork County Council since 1994 for the improvement of sections of the R572 Glengarriff to Castletownbere Road. In addition, £100,000 was provided to the council in 1996 for Kealincha Bridge on the R571 Castletownbere to Kenmare Road. It will be open to the council to submit applications for consideration for further funding of improvement works on these roads under this scheme in 1998.