I welcome the Minister of State. My Commencement matter calls on the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the provision of additional funding for proposed road improvement works on the national N69 route from Bolton's Cross to the Tim Kennelly roundabout in Listowel, County Kerry. I am demand again that urgent attention be given to the N69 into Listowel. This is not a minor issue. It is a key artery into Listowel and north Kerry. Thousands of people rely on this road every day for work, school, business, tourism and essential travel. Despite years of repeated calls, the road remains in an appalling and deteriorating state. It is an embarrassment to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, and Kerry County Council.

We have called for funding for this road for over seven years. There have been seven years of letters, questions, representations and deputations to Kerry County Council, but nothing has been done. The people I represent are being let down by a system that continues to ignore a road that is critical to the safety, connectivity and economic life of the county. In the most recent TII funding round, Kerry County Council received no allocation for the N69 even though it had confirmed that the road was ranked third on its priority list. Let me make it very clear that the funding we are asking for, which we were told ten days ago is €300,000, is just 1% of the €33 million allocated to Kerry County Council for national routes. Despite the modesty of this request, the road was still overlooked. The people deserve a clear and honest answer to the following question: why has a critical road, which is near the top of the priority list, been ignored in the funding process?

Last Thursday, TII and Kerry County Council had a meeting to discuss the matter. Perhaps they called it an emergency meeting. The communication barrier between the Department of Transport, TII and Kerry County Council is a total embarrassment to the people I represent. The condition of the N69 is deteriorating. If TII is not going to fund this road then should responsibility for it be removed from TII? I am unapologetically angry because I have raised this issue four times in this House yet the problem persists. The frustration felt in Listowel and across County Kerry is high. People await answers, actions and investment and they have waited far too long.

When the national funding of €33 million was announced, the five Deputies who represent Kerry jumped up and down in celebration for what they had brought to the county. Not one of them came to north Kerry to say that no money had been allocated to the N69. They totally misrepresented the area. I have shouted for this allocation. I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister and his Department to make a full statement to explain why the N69 was not included in the funding round, to clarify the assessment process conducted by TII, and to outline the immediate action that will be taken to address this neglected and dangerous road. A request for €300,000 from a €33 million budget is not unreasonable. The current situation cannot continue. I call on the Minister for Transport to act decisively, to make a statement today and to ensure the N69 receives the immediate attention, investment and priority it needs for the benefit of the people of north Kerry and everyone who uses this route. The current situation is embarrassing. I want this to be the last day that I raise this matter in the Seanad.

I will deliver this response on behalf of the Minister for Transport. First, I thank the Senator for his question. I recognise that infrastructure investment to support road safety on the N69, as well as the quality of life of the people who rely on it, is important. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TIl, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

It is important to note that a number of major roads projects have been delivered under the current NDP, including the N5 Westport to Turlough and the N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom projects. In addition, a major priority in the NDP, in line with the Department's investment hierarchy, is to maintain the quality and safety of the existing national road network. This includes funding for minor improvement works, safety schemes such as junction upgrades, road realignment and pavement renewal, as well as measures to ensure the network can withstand the increased number of severe weather events. Approximately €659 million of Exchequer funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2026. This money will be used for the progression of new national roads projects, as listed in the NDP and the sectoral investment plan for transport. Furthermore, in recognition of the need to improve safety and ensure the major investment in our national road network that has taken place over recent decades is safeguarded, there has been an increased level of funding for protection and renewal works on the existing network in 2026. Of this, over €32 million was allocated to Kerry County Council. This represents an increase of almost €20 million when compared to 2025. To me, that allocation seems quite significant.

This year’s allocations include funding for a wide range of projects. This includes an allocation for road safety measures on the N69 at Tarbert, along with road improvements on the N70 Ring of Kerry road and the N86 between Dingle and Tralee. Funding has also been provided for pavement renewal works in the county. The roads network is surveyed annually for surface quality and structural strength to inform the allocations provided, and this is also the case for County Kerry. In addition, funding has been allocated for the construction of the N22 Killarney to Farranfore project. This project will improve connectivity between Cork and Kerry, thereby ensuring enhanced regional accessibility; will facilitate efficient access to international markets via Farranfore Airport; and will strengthen tourism in the area. There has been significant investment in the N69 in recent years.

Over €67 million in allocations has been invested in pavement, safety and the bypass of Listowel on the N69 since 2021. TII will continue to work closely with the Department of Transport and Kerry County Council to identify critical areas for intervention on the N69 as well as other national routes in Kerry.

I thank the Minister of State for taking the Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The reply refers to "TIl, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned" and states, "TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme" - absolutely. The Minister of State said the N69 was included in the funding that came down. One of the projects that was done was a school pedestrian crossing in Tarbert that had been mooted about six years ago. It was completed in 2025, and it was in this year's TII allocation. Therefore, to say that the N69 has future funding models is wrong. That is misleading. The N69 got no funding, from west Limerick into north Kerry. To say that the funding has been allocated is misleading; it is for maintenance. It is a €300,000 project on a 1.1 km stretch of road, and it has not been highlighted. Either the Department, TII or Kerry County Council has not got their sums right or no one is talking to each other. It has been prioritised at No. 3. TII is saying it has got the money off the Department and that that is its job done. TII went to Kerry County Council and, lo and behold, No. 3 on the priority list has not been included. I do not know if there has been a breakdown here. I ask that the Minister of State take it back to the Minister to investigate why this stretch of road has for some reason not been included in the maintenance budget for the funding that was drawn down. It is totally out of order, and it is totally disrespectful to the people. I was fighting for this stretch of road for seven years as a county councillor. Either someone does not want it or there is another issue. The Minister of State mentioned the €67 million. We got a bypass in Listowel. That has been going on for 20 years. The drums have been beaten on that as well. However, this section has been totally disrespected.

I thank the Senator. I hear his frustration, and I certainly will bring it to the Minister's attention. I would not like to mislead the Senator so, in that context, I will say what I said earlier. There has been significant investment in the N69 in recent years. Over €67 million in allocations has been invested in pavement, safety and, as the Senator said, the bypass of Listowel on the N69 since 2021. That is the statement I have here. I will bring to the attention of the Minister that the Senator has specific concerns here. It is important to say, however, that in 2026, approximately €32 million in capital Exchequer funding was allocated for the national road network in Kerry. This funds the protection and renewal of the existing roads network and includes new national road projects. Nevertheless, I will bring the Senator's concerns to the Minister.