Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 December 2018
16. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Bonagee link road project in County Donegal; when the project will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51949/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, I would like to explain that, as Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. However, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design, construction and development stages of individual road projects is a matter for
(a) the relevant road authority (i.e. local authorities in whose functional area a road development is situated) in relation to local and regional roads, or
(b) Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned, in relation to national roads.
Overview
Consequently, it is an operational matter for a road authority and TII to give an account of how a project is progressing within their functional areas of responsibility. However, having consulted with the relevant authorities, I can provide the following information and update to the Deputy on the Bonagee Link Road project, also referred to as the Letterkenny Inner Relief Road.
- In Co. Donegal the Trans European Network-Transport (TEN–T) Comprehensive road network runs from the Leitrim County Boundary in the South of the County (on the outskirts of Bundoran) to the Northern Ireland Border with Derry in the Northeast of the County at Bridgend (on the outskirts of Derry City) and involves Sections of the N13, N14 and N15.
- In 2016 Donegal County Council commissioned a Corridor Needs Study on the TEN-T Comprehensive network within Donegal. The study identified projects in Donegal necessary to improve the TEN-T Comprehensive network to the required standard in compliance with the TEN- T regulations. The outcome of the Study identified a priority list of schemes. It recommended three projects for immediate advancement through Phases 1 to 4 of the Project Management Guidelines:
- N15/N13 Ballybofey – Stranorlar Bypass
- N56/N13/N14 – Letterkenny Bypass and Letterkenny to Manorcunningham Dual Carriageway
- N14 Manorcunningham to Lifford Realignment Scheme including the N14/N15 link to the A5 Western Transport Corridor in Northern Ireland
The Bonagee Link Road, or the Letterkenny Inner Relief Road, forms part of the proposed N56/N13/N14 scheme.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has provided an allocation of €2.4m in 2018 to Donegal County Council to progress planning work on priority national road improvements projects that were identified in the 2016 needs study report on the TEN-T Comprehensive Network in County Donegal, as I have just mentioned.
These projects are identified as Strategic Investment Priorities in the National Planning Framework (NPF) and National Development Plan (NDP)
Current Status
TII has advised my Department of the current status of the projects, which is, technical advisors are continuing to develop the schemes through phases 1 to 4 of the project Management guidelines. Public consultations of identified route options for all these priority schemes were held in April and May this year in Letterkenny, Lifford and Ballybofey. In addition it is anticipated that the preferred routes will be presented to the public in early 2019. The preferred routes will then be brought forward for further design and appraisal during 2019.
Timetable
The construction timetable is estimated to be in the region of approximately 36 months with an estimated completion date of end 2027. However, I would like to stress that any time frame is dependant on obtaining the necessary consents at various critical stages including at the route selection, detailed design and tender stages. The necessity to meet the requirements of the public spending code and planning consent from An Bord Pleanála along with a continued adequate capital budget are also critical to delivering the project.
