Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 December 2015
14. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the funding allocated for the planned N7 widening, Sallins bypass and Osberstown interchange road projects in Naas in County Kildare will be available to ensure the projects are progressed simultaneously; if progressing these works as one project will be more cost-efficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40406/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII, formerly known as the National Roads Authority) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. As regards regional and local roads, responsibility for implementation of improvement projects rests with the relevant local authority which is Kildare County Council in this instance.
The transport element of the Capital Plan provides that work will commence on several roads projects which are targeted at removing critical bottlenecks or upgrading inadequate sections of road, including the M7 widening and the Sallins Bypass. Kildare County Council is responsible for the construction of the Osberstown Interchange.
As the three projects mentioned by the Deputy need to be implemented in a co-ordinated way, I expect TII to liaise with Kildare County Council in relation to an implementation programme. At present TII is assessing how best to progress national projects included in the 7 year transport element of the Capital Plan taking into account annual budget allocations. The timeframe for progressing individual projects will be decided once that process is completed.
