Martin Daly urges upgrade of N61, warns on road safety

Just to ask the Taunashta, if new consideration could be given to the upgrading of the N61 road to a national primary route in view of its strategic importance for Athlone, Roscommon and Boyle, and the role that such an upgrade would play in supporting balanced regional development, inward investment, improved road safety, and if he would outline what steps are being taken by the government to the Department of Transport to advance this designation. This N61 road is a strategic road which links Athlone from the M6 to Boyle and then onwards to Sligo, Athlone and Sligo being two designated growth centres, and Athlone being the industrial base of County Roscommon now. And there are a range of issues there. One is the issue around the road safety and the increased traffic. A number of intersections happen between the other primary routes of the N4, N5 and N6, which are the east-west connections, and of course the secondary routes of N60 and N63. And the volume of traffic between Athlone and Roscommon in particular, but then onwards to Boyle is a source of significant concern. In addition to that, there are issues around the connectivity. We have a dirt of public transport in County Roscommon and East Galway. We also have a massive deficit in terms of infrastructural development, and that has been recognised at European Commission level in terms of the north-northwest and the rest of the country. And we rank very lowly in the European Commission's index in relation to that infrastructural development. So this is a piece of infrastructure that is in view of road safety, in view of the national target of interconnectivity in terms of guaranteeing 90 kilometres and now average speed between major growth centres, for the issue of economic activity, and also in relation to balanced strategic development for the west and north-west, and you know, Roscommon County Council have included it in their county plans for the last 24 years. They made a submission in 2024 to government. It was rebutted, and I'm not sure that the reasons given at that time really are legitimate. I do think that this is a hugely important and vital piece of infrastructure for County Roscommon, but for interconnectivity in the west and north-west between the designated growth centres of Athlone and Sligo, which are also industrial centres for the west of Ireland, and for the connectivity between the east-west routes, national primary routes and secondary routes that cross that N61. Thanks very much to Deputy Daly for raising this important matter. At the outset, can I assure him, as he knows, that this government is absolutely committed to ensuring high-quality regional connectivity in the west of Ireland. I think we've demonstrated that by the progression of a number of projects, including the project on the N5 in recent years. The recently published sectoral investment plan for transport reaffirms the NDP commitment to deliver many new roads across the state, and let me say the era of not building roads is over, and the National Development Plan shows that. Even electric vehicles need roads to go on, buses need roads to go on, there are road safety issues, and the mothballing of road projects is ending, and the building of new road projects is commencing alongside a very significant and important investment in public transport, which also matters as well, and it shouldn't be either or. Those listed in the sectoral investment plan include the N4 Carrigan Shining Bypass, the traffic management project, and the N17 Knock to Kaluni project as well. Specifically in relation to this issue of the N61 classification, I am informed that the Department of Transport and TII have previously discussed the N61 Athlone to Boyle Road to pass it through Ruscommon Town, and it was agreed that the N61 from Athlone to Boyle performs the function of a national secondary road and does not warrant reclassification, but I am happy to tease through that with you and indeed engage with the Minister on that. For context, the national primary road is categorised as being a long-distance through route, providing connection with principal cities and large towns, or providing access to category one commercial seaports and state airports. The national secondary route is categorised as being of medium length, serving as a connecting road between the principal towns and linking the national primary routes together to form a homogenous network. The N61 route is of technical medium length and functions such as the connection between the principal towns and the regions and links to an existing network of national primary routes, including the N6 in Athlone, the N5 at Tulsk, which I am pleased to say is currently undergoing significant upgrade works, and the N4 at Boyle as well. The N61 performs the role of a national secondary route, and I am informed by the authorities that they believe it is correctly classified as such. I recognise the importance of the N61 for people in Roscommon, and you have made that point very clear to us today. I know this year funding was allocated for a number of road safety improvement schemes on the N61, including in Boyle, in Castlereagh and in Strokestown, and in addition funding was allocated for junction improvement works at a number of other locations. I would also like to welcome and acknowledge the continued progress that is being made on that N5 project, which intersects with the N61, and I believe construction of this project is now progressing at pace and is currently on track for completion. What I would also say is this, while we have published the national development plan, the sectoral investment plans, that is not the final word in terms of investment in transport, or indeed in any area, sectoral plans highlight some of the major plans from a funding point of view. Each year TII, for example, will publish an annual investment plan as well. There are certainly more opportunities to look at how we can make more investment in the road network in Roscommon and indeed in the West. I thank the Tainish for his considered response and I again will reiterate the importance of this N61 route in County Roscommon, which also serves parts of East Galway and South East Mayo to make connectivity to the motorway at Athlone, and also the interconnection of a number of other national routes east-west along its route. Also to point out the very significant heavy volume of traffic, especially between Athlone and Roscommon, through the villages of Notcrockery and Kiltoum, which represent a safety issue. Also to point out that at very many points in the road, traffic calming measures are there on this national secondary route, which bring the speed limits down to 50 kilometres, and are affecting ease of access for traffic between Athlone and Sligo. And I think it's worth pointing out that we now have traffic congestion, which is something we couldn't have conceived of in Roscommon as a county town at pinch points at Rushar, which I never thought I would hear myself say about Roscommon town and Boyle. But we have tailbacks going into both towns. Thank you for listening to the question. Thank you. Thank you very much, Deputy Daley, and I think you've outlined to us quite correctly there are a number of the challenges that are being faced in terms of the road infrastructure in Roscommon and in Boyle in the region, be it the heavy volume of traffic, the safety issues, which is really important. I'm struck now every morning we're waking up and we're looking at our newspapers, we're looking at our news bulletin, including today, and to see more fatalities and tragedies on our Irish roads. And we think of all of those people and particularly those families at Christmas today as well. So investing in roads should always be seen as a safety issue, as well as you quite rightly say the congestion issues that are arising in towns as well, including those pinch points in Roscommon town and Boyle. So on foot of you raising this today, I will ask Minister O'Brien and TII to engage with yourself, to engage at Roscommon, our OCTIS members, and also to engage for us at Roscommon, TII Council, and what more can be done in the time ahead, building on a number of the projects that we've already thankfully funded and indeed some that are under construction. Thank you very much. Thank you.