Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 May 2014
7. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current status of the project to upgrade the N59 on the approach to Moycullen, County Galway, for which planning permission has been granted; and if he acknowledges the urgency of this project in view of the deficiencies of the existing road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21490/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question concerns plans for the upgrade of the Moycullen approach section of the N59. The Minister visited Moycullen last autumn. I am looking for a statement on the plans for that road.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for funding in regard to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
The project to which the Deputy refers is the N59 Moycullen bypass, which consists of two elements. The first is a 4.5 km single carriageway off-road, greenfield bypass of Moycullen and the second is the online realignment and upgrading of 900 m of the existing N59 on the Galway road into Moycullen. An Bord Pleanála approved the environmental impact statement and the compulsory purchase order for the scheme in 2012, and the project is now at design stage.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the scale of the reductions in the NRA under the infrastructure and capital investment framework 2012-2016 has meant that it has not been possible to progress a range of road development projects. The key priority has to be the protection of the existing investment in road infrastructure. In that regard, it is not possible to advance the off-road, greenfield bypass aspect of this project at the moment. However, on Tuesday, the Government approved €43 million in additional funding for roads and, as part of that, €3.5 million has been allocated to carry out the online realignment and upgrade part of the project.
Having visited Moycullen with Deputy Kyne last year, I appreciate the importance of this aspect of the bypass works. I would, of course, like to be in a position to announce funding for the overall project but, unfortunately, that is not possible for the time being. However, real benefit will accrue to the people of Moycullen from a quality of life and road safety perspective as a result of progressing this particularly important aspect of the scheme.
I would like to welcome very warmly this announcement of €3.5 million for the N59 Moycullen upgrade. This is the best local news I have received in my ten years in politics. In fact, when I was elected to Galway County Council, the first delegation I met a few days after being elected was from local residents regarding this road. I am delighted and I would like to thank the Minister for his support on this. As he said, he travelled to Moycullen last August and had a meeting with local residents about the condition of that road, a meeting which was hot and heavy at times. We further discussed this matter with the CEO and chairman of the National Roads Authority last Friday at the turning of the sod for the M17-M18 motorway. I commend the Minister on his intervention.
This project is part of a 40 year campaign, believe it or not. It will include the widening of the very narrow Clydagh bridge and the provision of footpaths, cycle lanes and lighting on that section of road. I understand the tenders are near completion. Again, I thank the Minister for his support. I am sure the National Roads Authority will be advancing this very soon, possibly with work to start in the autumn. I am sure the Minister will be in contact with the NRA on that.
In regard to the overall objectives and benefits of the scheme, I want to put on the record of the House that a full business case has been carried out for the Moycullen scheme, which shows a benefit to cost ratio of 2.2 to 2.6. Between Galway city and the west of Moycullen, the existing N59 primarily serves as a commuter route, while further west it is more accurately described as a rural-tourist route. It forms the main street through the village of Moycullen, and traffic projections for the opening year of the project predict a traffic flow of some 11,000 to 13,000, which is very significant. Having visited Moycullen and discussed this with Deputy Kyne and the NRA, I do not believe anyone can argue about the merits of this project. We would love to be able to go ahead with the main bypass but we just cannot afford to do so. However, this will result in a major improvement for people trying to get to and from Connemara, and, in addition, for the people of Moycullen, who will be able to walk around the town and village in a way they cannot at present.
I thank the Minister. Many elderly residents have lived along that road for more than 40 years. Indeed, some individuals got planning permission up to 45 years ago and were told at the time not to put in a permanent boundary wall on the front of their site because there were plans to widen the road. This is wonderful news, on which I commend the Minister. It will also improve the very dangerous Kylebroghlan junction, where drivers cannot see properly when turning right. I again thank the Minister for his support on this project.
