1817. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the expected delivery schedule for the Maynooth Eastern relief road and bridge; the current stage of the project; whether his Department has assessed its importance for regional traffic flow and access to the university; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60096/26]

The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, or LIHAF as it is known, provides grant funding to public infrastructure projects that relieve critical infrastructure blockages impacting housing development.

The scheme targeted housing delivery on key development sites in urban areas of high demand. It provides grant funding of up to 75 percent of the project cost, with the remaining 25 percent to be provided through local authority sourced funding.

The Maynooth Eastern Relief Road is one of 30 projects approved for funding under LIHAF in 2017. The project comprises 1.45 kilometres of roadway with pedestrian and cycle facilities, bus stops and a bridge crossing of the Dublin - Sligo rail line and the Royal Canal. The project is in construction and is due to be completed in mid-2027.

My Department approved a total funding commitment of €24.24 million Exchequer funding for this project in October 2025.

The provision of a transport link between the R148 Maynooth to Leixlip Road and the R405 Maynooth to Celbridge Road has been a roads objective for Maynooth dating back to the Maynooth Town Plan 2002 and is an objective of the current Maynooth Local Area Plan 2025 to 2031. The project is also identified in an Area Based Transport Assessment for Maynooth as a committed project.

The road when completed will support the continued development of Maynooth. It unlocks lands zoned for housing development on either side and provide a strategic connection between the R148 Leixlip Road, the R157 Dunboyne Road and the R405 Celbridge Road.

This will reduce traffic congestion in Maynooth town centre as it provides an alternative route for vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists travelling to destinations in Maynooth such as primary and post-primary schools and Maynooth University (NUIM). It provides an alternative route for vehicular traffic traveling through Maynooth to access the regional road network connecting to destinations in the Greater Dublin Area.