Éamon Ó Cuív presses on dangerous Currie–Colooney road
Éamon Ó Cuív asked whether the government has a policy to prioritise urgent funding for the dangerous Currie to Colooney road and other substandard primary and secondary routes. He pressed whether urgency in funding is a matter for government policy rather than the TII, citing local safety concerns.
Issue raised
Éamon Ó Cuív noted that the road from Currie to Colooney is highly dangerous and asked if the government has a policy of directing urgency of funding to roads that are dangerous, substandard and do not comply with natural standards for primary and secondary routes. He emphasised that policy is the remit of government, not of the TII.
Government response
The minister acknowledged the concern and re-emphasised that the Currie–Colooney road is being included in the National Development Plan. The minister said allocations for all roads are made annually at the end of the year and that continuity of funding will be considered later this year in the context of this road and other national roads included in the Plan.
Road safety emphasis
The minister highlighted road safety as an important factor in roads investment, noting there is an important regional aspect in terms of regional development and road safety. He said collision data on some roads are "shocking" and stressed that lives lost on those roads must be taken into account when discussing roads investment.
Funding timetable and process
The minister explained that allocations are decided annually to allow continuity of funding and that decisions on this road and others in the National Development Plan will be made later in the year. He indicated these matters will be discussed in the context of his road safety responsibilities.
Context and outcomes cited
The minister said that over 30 years of roads investment there has been a drastic reduction in road debts, and that improvement of the road network has played an important role. He concluded by reiterating the need to factor road safety concerns into future roads investment decisions.
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Minister, as you know, the road from Currie to Colooney is highly dangerous. And I'm wondering, could you tell me, has the government a policy, because policy is the remit of government, not of the TII, have they a policy of directing urgency of funding towards roads that are dangerous and substandard and do not comply with natural standards for primary routes and for secondary routes? Minister, to conclude. Again, thank both deputies for their advocacy on this road and reflecting the concerns that are in the local community, which I heard myself when I was down at Sligo County Council. What I can say is, re-emphasise that this is being included in the National Development Plan, that the allocations for all roads are made annually at the end of the year. To allow continuity of funding, and that will be made later on this year in the context of this road, and all the other roads, if you were to ask me about any of them, national roads, which are in the National Development Plan. And there is an important regional aspect in terms of regional development, and also from a road safety perspective, Deputy, I appreciate you raising that point. And the reason we are developing many of these roads is that the collision data on some of them are shocking, and that a lot of people have lost their lives in that road, and that can't be lost in the context of, you know, we often talk about the economic development and other matters when it comes to roads investment. But a singular important point in the context of 30 years of roads investment has been a drastic reduction in road debts, and the improvement of our road network has played an important role in that. And so it's something that will be discussed in the context of my role, with responsibility for road safety, that we need to make sure we take into account any concerns related to road safety in the context of roads investment. Thank you very much.
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