Members and indeed many Ministers will have heard me talking about the absolute need for a second bridge, a vital piece of infrastructure, for Newbridge and its environs. The bridge is an essential part of the southern outer orbital route. About 25% of the route has been completed, and much of the remaining 75% is at the stage of completion. Why is the bridge needed? Newbridge is a town of around 30,000 people.

There are five schools practically sitting on the bridge that we have, which is the only way in and out of Newbridge. I travel through that bridge as well and you can appreciate that at school start time and with congestion - a lot of people coming into or leaving Newbridge to work - we all have to time it and to try to stagger our timings because if you are caught, you are badly caught. I am sure the Chair knows it too. There have been huge delays basically for commuters and people going to school. If there is any issue like flooding or roadworks or whatever, everybody is just held completely to ransom. Having a second bridge has been on the cards for a long time but there absolutely has been progress. Planning permission was given last September 12 months to the company that owned the land where the approach to the bridge would have to be taken. Last September, the business case was accepted by the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien. We had hoped that with some more negotiation the construction would start in 2027 and I still believe that we can do that, but there has been a fly in the ointment since then. The company that owned the land had a planning permission request with An Coimisiúin Pleanála, ACP, and two weeks ago that was turned down. I have no doubt but that the company will put in for another planning permission based on the report it got. To be fair, at all times the company indicated that it was willing to work with Kildare County Council and the Department should it not get planning permission. There is a real fear from people around Newbridge that the bridge will not go ahead because of the refusal. I do not believe that to be the case but I have no doubt that an update has been given to the Department because it does see this as a priority project.

I appreciate that the Minister of State is here to take this Commencement matter. I want to seek reassurance that this is still a priority for Kildare County Council and for the Minister and the Department. It is absolutely vital to the growth of Newbridge, which is growing exponentially. It is a town that is well served by our railway line. We have a lot of new housing. We need to be able to have traffic moving smoothly. It is so important, so this bridge is a priority. Having a town bus - which I raised before with the Minister of State - is another priority. However, in this instance, we are talking about the bridge. We want to have assurance around its delivery and around the timelines because the last timeline I had was that it was hoped to start in 2027. I would appreciate if the Minister of State could respond to me.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this very important matter and again for being a very strong champion and voice for the people of Newbridge. She is quite right in terms of the growth, the schools, the access and the egress. I apologise that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, cannot take this Commencement matter.

The Senator referenced the refusal by An Coimisiúin Pleanála in respect of the Great Connell strategic housing development. The Senator's contribution and question is in relation to that second bridge, which links Great Connell Road and Athgarvan Road over the River Liffey. The Senator is right. The comment she made that there will be a second application is a good one. It is important that we, as a Department, working with Kildare County Council, reaffirm, as the Senator has said, our support for the project. This is about a town that has grown exponentially, as the Senator said. It has changed from when I was a student in Maynooth to today. It is no longer just a county town: it is the hub. The Senator is right that the Department of Transport is committed to this. As she knows, Kildare County Council submitted a primary appraisal application, I think in 2023, to the Department of Transport on the orbital relief route scheme. Senator O'Loughlin has articulated that what we need to do in planning and transport with the Department of local government is to have traffic flowing in our urban towns.

This is an example of it successfully done in Kildare. In the case of this project, the business case was developed by the council to substantiate the need for the scheme. The Department made an allocation last year in support of the preparation of a business case for the Newbridge southern orbital route. The updated business case was submitted by the council for review last year and it was ultimately approved.

Kildare County Council obtained planning approval for the remaining section of the scheme in 2023 and it is currently in advanced discussions with landowners regarding land acquisition. In 2026, €200,000 has been allocated to the scheme. The recent decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála is being reviewed by Kildare County Council. In turn, the Department of Transport is also liaising directly with Kildare County Council on the matter.

The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I are committed in our regional and local roads programme to protecting, enhancing and upgrading the existing road network. While the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a matter for the local authority, the Department will ensure we have funding prioritised to see our roads network enhanced. That is why the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, announced an Exchequer investment of €718 million for our regional and local roads earlier this year. This will facilitate an increase in funding allocation of €26 million this year for road protection and renewal works.

It is important that we work together on this project. Under the strategic grant programme, the Department makes decisions on a case-by-case basis. Working with local authorities all projects will be considered. They must comply with our infrastructure guidelines. Kildare County Council received €20 million for maintenance and improvement last year, of which over €19 million was allocated to road protection and renewal.

The points the Senator made this afternoon are good ones and we must take cognisance of them. We need to remember that Ireland's road density is the seventh highest in the European Union. The volume of traffic is putting pressure on towns like Newbridge, Kildare, Maynooth and others in County Kildare. The points the Senator has made make eminent sense and I look forward to bringing her comments back to the Department.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. A key area I asked about related to engagement with Kildare County Council. Based on his reply, I am very satisfied that that is ongoing. The second element was to ensure that this remains a priority. Again, I am absolutely happy from what he has said that this is an absolute priority. It is great to have the €20 million investment in roads in Kildare. A lot of the roads in the county are regional roads that people have to go through both on the western side and the eastern side of the M7. A lot of money is being spent on those roads.

I accept that the Minister of State appreciates the importance of this project. Will the timeline be pushed out? The last update was that it would be starting - there is always a caveat - hopefully in 2027. We hope that the money is ring-fenced for that. Does the Minister of State feel that timeline will be pushed out because of this?

I will answer the last question first. I do not know. I hope that the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála will not postpone the process too much. Engagement with Kildare County Council is ongoing. It is important that we have that interconnectedness that the Senator spoke about. Our Department is fully committed to the protection and renewal of our road network. I hope that this project - I will make the case that the Senator made this afternoon - remains an absolute priority for the Government.

The Senator spoke about the regional and local roads in Kildare. As she knows, the allocation is €20 million for this year, with the initial selection and prioritisation on maintenance and renewal works a matter for the council. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I are committed to the restoration and maintenance of our road network and recognise the importance of it. Based on the points the Senator has made, it is critical that we enhance connectivity between rural and urban areas and allow people to be able to travel seamlessly in our country.

I hope in Kildare, under the strategic improvement grant programme, we will see that continue.

I thank the Minister of State.

I thank the Minister of State for giving his time. I know it is a very busy day in the Dáil so I appreciate it.

I will be back later.