Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2016
576. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposed Slane bypass including his plans to progress same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4988/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, as 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 (such as the Slane Bypass) is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 in conjunction with Meath County Council.
The transport element of the Capital Plan, provides a total of €6 bn for roads over seven years. Of this, €4.4 bn of this programme will be devoted to essential maintenance and strengthening works on our network. The Plan has provided that a number of schemes (including the Slane Bypass), targeting bottlenecks in the road network, will be progressed subject to planning. TII is in the process of drawing up an implementation programme for the projects included in the Capital Plan and in the case of the proposed Slane Bypass, this will require the submission of the scheme to an Bord Pleanála for consideration.
