N17 Knock to Collooney funding
Deputy Conway-Walsh demanded clarity on the N17 scheme after comments suggesting no funding for years. The Taoiseach said the project will go ahead, but funding is allocated annually and can be reallocated if other projects slow.
People in Mayo, Sligo, and in the west want a straight answer on the N17 Knock to Collooney scheme. The Minister visited last week and alarmed people when he said that there would be no funding available for the scheme for many years even though it had progressed to the planning and development stage. The landowners along the corridor obviously have their land sterilised in this, but people want a straight answer as to what is happening. There is no point in the Government Deputies coming to the House and pretending they are in opposition. There is a collective responsibility for this and we want to know if the N17 Knock to Collooney road is going to go ahead.
Comment on this
However, as is always the case, there is roughly €500 million for the national roads budget for maintenance and then also for new projects. It is never the case that there is funding every year to progress every project. It never was the case and it never will be the case. Funding happens on an annual basis and what we have agreed is that if funding becomes available through the course of the year because one project has been slowed for some reason, then that can be reallocated to another project.