When I last raised the issue of the N6 Galway city ring road with the Minister on Leaders' Questions on 25 May 2021 I highlighted the plight of the 54 families and individuals who were to lose their homes to make way for the road. I sought a commitment from the Minister that once a decision was made by An Bord Pleanála to go ahead with the project that top priority would be given to putting in place a scheme, without delay and regardless of subsequent legal or judicial challenge, to enter into negotiation with any householder affected by this who wished to sell and move on but was caught in limbo. Not all householders want to sell. Some are willing to wait until the process is complete.

The Minister expressed sympathy for the plight of these people whose lives have been put on hold for the past seven years since the preferred route for the current ring road plan was published back in 2015. Since then, the owners of 44 homes to be demolished and a further ten homes to be bought to facilitate the ring road project have been caught in limbo. They cannot sell a house pencilled for demolition. This meant neither could they move on with their lives and set up a new home elsewhere.

The Minister promised that subject to a decision of approval he would encourage Galway County Council through its negotiation strategy to assist these householders who have been affected. He said he understood that Galway County Council had already established and advanced the negotiation strategy for the road project. He stated all affected householders were invited to participate and he encouraged Galway County Council as I have outlined. He also stated the Government would do everything it could in this regard to assist the householders who have been affected.

The decision in favour of the Galway city ring road has been made by An Bord Pleanála. While three High Court actions have been taken challenging the decision, we cannot leave these homeowners linger in limbo for years. The most recent proposal would mean a total of 14 years. They deserve to be allowed to try to move on with their lives. The time for this is now. Will the Minister put in place a scheme to facilitate the householders who want to sell and move on and not leave them hanging on for years and years to come while the legal challenges are taking place?

I thank Deputy Grealish. He has been raising this issue privately and publicly consistently with me over the past two years. He has raised a very valid concern for the 54 families in a very difficult position. I absolutely understand and see the argument in the case he is making on their behalf. This is a controversial project that has been long delayed like many other transport projects in the country. It is particularly sensitive with regard to habitat issues and climate issues. Three cases for judicial review have been taken. I understand these are due to a variety of interests, including local property interests and the climate issue regarding the particular project. It is not possible to take the course the Deputy suggests because the High Court has issued a stay against any such action by Galway City Council. By order of the court, it is not possible to progress with what we would presume would be a compulsory purchase order system. This is a High Court decision. We are all subject to these. It will have to work itself out. The process has to be allowed to take its course. In the interim, I encourage the local authority to engage with the householders so that subject to the issues being resolved they can act quickly. It is not a significant sum. For the householders, it is a hugely important issue. Their engagement with the council may at least shorten the process, depending on what the final outcome will be. We cannot ignore an order of the High Court. It would not be appropriate or right. We have to await the outcome of it.

The project still has to go through a business case to be prepared and presented to the Government. Our process for assessing projects is very long and drawn out. We would all agree it is in need of reform and shortening. The whole issue of planning concerns and consent needs to be reformed. The Attorney General is doing this. It is important we retain central to it protection for the environment and support the rights of those who want to do this and protection for the ability of people to develop and for the State to be able to act in introducing infrastructure. We have to get the balance right. Our current systems are not fit for purpose. Our planning laws are not working well. This is why the Attorney General is engaged in major reform. This will not help these particular householders out of the difficult position they are in. Anything we can do we will do but it has to be within the law.

I have to say I am very disappointed in the response of the Minister. It is not for me to be disappointed but for the 54 householders caught up in this. This legal challenge could go on for years. The last time it went on for more than seven and a half years. Eight householders were caught in the previous project. This has been going on for more than 22 years. Is the Minister telling me these 54 householders have to sit and wait until a judicial review has taken place before they can sell a house? Many of these people are moving on in years. They want to downsize. They want to leave a bit of money to their children or grandchildren. They cannot sell the biggest asset they have. The Minister is telling them to sit at home and wait until this whole process has been complete. I will not accept this. That is wrong. That is not fair on the 54 householders. Nobody in this House would like to be affected whereby they could not sell their properties on the open market because nobody would buy it due to a decision by the Department that it wants to put a ring road around Galway. I ask the Minister please to intervene personally and deal with TII and bring forward some scheme to give a bit of comfort to these householders who want to sell and move on.

It is not my intention to push through this scheme in this way. We have to follow the law that protects all our people in the long run. If we start ignoring orders of the High Court-----

We change the law in here.

We do. We are engaged in a process whereby we are looking at how we reform the law. This is probably one of the most important projects we have to do now for the sake of everyone in the country. It takes a certain period of time. This process will not be concluded until the end of this year. Any new planning legislation would take time to go through the House before it would be law. In the interim we have to do everything we can to help any householder caught, as these households are, in a very unfortunate situation. As I have said, I would encourage Galway County Council to engage with them so at least they have an idea, subject to other matters being resolved, of what the final outcome would be. In the interim they are caught in a difficult situation. I fully accept the Deputy's point that for them it is particularly difficult and troublesome.