Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 November 2017
72. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of businesses in the north west due to the need to improve infrastructure, particularly the road network, to assist businesses remain competitive and to attract new business to the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49195/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe planning and implementation of the A5 upgrade project is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland authorities. The current funding arrangements in relation to the A5 are governed by the Stormont House Agreement and Implementation Plan - A Fresh Start. This Agreement reaffirmed the Government's commitment to provide funding of £50 million for the A5 project and committed an additional £25 million to ensure that Phase 1 of the project (Newbuildings to north of Strabane) can commence as soon as the necessary planning issues have been resolved by the Northern Ireland authorities.
The Government’s Capital Plan published in September 2015 outlined proposed transport investment priorities to 2022. Maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority over the next period and the bulk of the roads capital budget, approximately €4.4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with a further €600 million allocated for implementation of the PPP road programme which is already underway. The Capital Plan provides for significant investment in transport links impacting on the border region including:
- the N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin upgrade scheme;
- a rolling improvement scheme on the N56 from Dungloe to Glenties and Inver to Mountcharles to strengthen links in Donegal, and
- subject to necessary consents, the N2 Slane Bypass on the N2 Dublin-Monaghan route.
The 57km Gort to Tuam PPP scheme has been completed and was opened officially on 27th September.
As regards preparatory work on a pipeline of future projects, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) announced in July that it is re-activating planning work on the N2 Clontibret to the Border Scheme to narrow down the route corridor to a single preferred route. In addition TII has committed to provide additional funding to develop an online upgrade of the N2, extending from North of Ardee to the south of the Castleblayney Bypass. The intention is to progress the preliminary design and the achievement of planning consent as soon as possible.
In relation to the TEN-T road network in Donegal, TII commissioned a Trans-European Transport Network Corridor Needs Study – Donegal which was completed by Halcrow Barry Consulting Engineers on behalf of Donegal County Council. The report recommends that priority should be afforded to the following three sections of the TEN-T route in Donegal:
- N15 Ballybofey – Stranorlar Urban Region
- N56/N13/N14 Letterkenny to Manorcunningham
- N14 Manorcunningham to Lifford/Strabane
Technical Advisors have been appointed to progress preparatory work on these three schemes and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has allocated €1m in 2017 to this work. TII intends to continue to advance the planning and design of these projects. The question of funding for construction will be considered in the context of the ten year investment framework which is to be developed with the National Planning Framework.
