Danny Healy-Rae warns against replacing Daly's roundabout with lights

I'm glad to get the opportunity to raise this matter here in the chamber this morning. And first of all, Minister, I have to explain the present set-up. The National Primary Road coming into Killarney from the Cox side is a very busy road as it is. It goes through what we know locally as Daly is roundabout and carries on in the old bypass which has been built for over 50 years. And on to Tralee and Killarney and wherever we want to go after that, I'll meet Kerry. And you see, 40,000 vehicles approximately go through this roundabout each day. Maybe 18,000 or 19,000 into Killarney town, 21,000 on to the other places that I mentioned. And the roundabout itself is working perfectly. And most times when you reach it and your queue maybe to get it from either side, the next thing you get relief when you go through the bypass. It's working perfectly. I never see it clogged or blocked. And even at that, the queues can be three or four miles backed up on either side, coming in the Cox Road or coming in the Tralee Road into Killarney or indeed coming up to Hans Lieber Road or coming from Killarney. Now, what's been proposed under the active travel, which the last government had in place and which he proposed to get rid of the minister, what's been proposed now is to take away the roundabout and put traffic lights there instead and put five or six sets of traffic lights on either side of it and down to Bally Casheen around Junction where we're coming in from the Cox side and two, what's proposed as well, two sets of cycleways and footpaths. There are footpaths there already. And narrow the carriageway down to six metres, which I can't think is not wide enough for the vehicles that we have today. A suggested cost of three million that the TII locally and the council are saying that it is to be spending it, I suggest it will cost a lot more. It's premature. What we do need now at the current time is to build an outer bypass, which we'll be campaigning for for 24 or 25 years. We have been promised three million for this year to progress that and to bypass the town, starting outside at Lisewegian, going northwards west through Kilcummen and coming out in front four, bypassing the whole lot. All this, what's been proposed now, would be fine if that was done first. But you must remember where this roundabout has been taken away, it is the N22, the National Primary Road into Killarney. It's an N to Kerry. And before this project goes ahead, I'm asking that temporary traffic lights to be placed at every point where there's suggestion there will be traffic lights, at the roundabout, and especially there, and all the other places where they're proposing to put traffic lights, put temporary traffic lights there for a week or two, it should be two weeks, to ensure that they will work and that we won't have a complete disaster. Because we're bad enough for traffic in Killarney as it is, and a similar project has been carried out in Fossil, where they've narrowed the road. And two large vehicles, when they meet, they can't pass each other without, you know, stopping up altogether, and trying to hinge their way past each other with mirrors and everything sticking out. It's not right to do that. That's the N22, the N72, the National Secondary Road. But what we're talking about here is the National Primary Road. And to do this is very serious, and I don't think that... Maura Healy Ray asked for the temporary lights to be placed before the work is undertaken. I'm asking the Department of Transport to go down and talk and look at this project, because with the officials that are involved... All right, sorry. Thank you, Minister. Thanks, thanks very much, Deputy Healy Ray, for raising this matter, and I'm glad to take it on behalf of the Minister for Transport, who, as you know, has responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once the funding arrangements are in place, then arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts of 1993 to 2015, and also in line with the National Development Plan for the operation and management of individual roads, which is a matter for TIA in conjunction with the local authorities at local level as well. Transport Infrastructure Ireland ultimately then delivers the National Roads Programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, as well as the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan. The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030, as part of the National Development Plan. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country, as well as compact growth, which are the key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others. An additional €2.9 billion was allocated for the protection and renewal of the existing national road framework. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this meant that there was a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2025. However, approximately €502 million of exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through Transport Infrastructure Ireland to local authorities this year. It is important to point out that the Programme for Government commits to continued investment in new roads infrastructure to ensure that all parts of Ireland are connected to each other. This year, approximately €3 million was allocated for the construction of new national roads in Kerry, with an additional €10.2 million being allocated for the improvement of the existing network. With regard to Daly's roundabout in Killarney, Deputy Healy Ray, which I know is the key substance of your topical issue here today, I understand from Transport Infrastructure Ireland that Kerry County Council engaged consultants to review safety and capacity issues on the N22 and its approaches, and to introduce improved active travel facilities at the N22 Park Road junction. A proposal for an active travel friendly park road roundabout with reduced laying lengths was not considered the optimal solution for the location, with the signalised junction identified as a preferred solution recommended by Kerry County Council. Details of the traffic assessment work undertaken in relation to the signalised junction proposal can be requested, of course, from the County Council. As part of the scheme, it is proposed to reallocate some of the existing road space on the carriageway between Daly's roundabout and Bally Cassine junction to provide space for a new active travel facility. This would reduce the width of the existing carriageway down to seven metres to provide space for the construction of a 2.5 metre cycle track. And this is in keeping with the commitment in the programme for Government to continue to invest in dedicated infrastructure for walking and cycling. Transport Infrastructure Ireland did not allocate funding for this scheme in 2024 or 2025. Having regard to Kerry County Council's recent approval of the scheme, it will be considered for funding in the 2026 funding allocations. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Minister, thank you for your reply. You said that roads were under construction or near that. This is not under construction and indeed planning has not yet been granted. Indeed, it is at the planning stage at present and anyone that wants to make submissions between, need to make them before Friday evening because, and the people of Kerry need to know what's happening because this will create chaos, Minister. And you said about narrowing the road down to seven metres. What we've been taught is six metres. And as I said to you, this went through Kerry County Council at an earlier stage. Maura Healey Ray was the only councillor that voted against it and she will continue to do so. But maybe the others will see now because they're getting a second bite of the cherry that this is wrong and it is the wrong time until the outer bypass is built and then this will be fine. What we must prioritize here today is to ensure that lorries, buses, commercial vehicles, cars and all the vehicles that are going through this roundabout at present will continue to use this road as they have been using to the best of their ability. We are very worried that traffic lights will impede this because we know and you know, Minister, and Kahi, look, you know that if you change the system from a roundabout to traffic lights you will slow the whole thing down. And instead of being backed up three or four miles out the cart road and three miles out the tree road it will be much further than that and complete chaos will ensue. I'm asking you, please, Minister, whatever consultants they dealt with, ask them to put in temporary lights for a week or two, preferably two, to see how the thing would manage before they remove the roundabout because when they remove the roundabout it will be too late and we won't have the author bypass for six or seven years yet. That's everything going well and we hope and expect that it will go well. The three million that they're proposing to use on this roundabout and these changes I'm asking that they be added to the author bypass and if he can spend it there spend it on the 650 local scheme applicants local improvement scheme applicants that are waiting for teen years and more. Thank you very much, Cahill. Thanks, Deputy Healy-Rae. I certainly will relay to Transport and Infrastructure of Ireland that you raised this in the Dáil here today as well. As I said to you in the initial response this is something that has been considered very strongly locally through Kerry County Council. They did engage consultants to review safety and capacity issues on the N2022 and its approaches and to introduce improved active travel facilities as well at the N2022 Park Road Junction. So coming out of that proposal and that consideration within Kerry County Council and those assessments Deputy Healy-Rae they have made the decision that this is the best approach and the optimal approach to address the issues. I think it is always appropriate and correct that these issues are given as much consideration as possible at County Council level in terms of the work and the assessments and the professional assessments done by the engineers and transport engineers as well. Also of course engaging very thoroughly with local authority members in relation to consideration of the matter. From my information here that is what has happened here in relation to the consideration of the proposals that are currently under consideration. I know you have indicated there that they are currently at planning stage and there is an opportunity for people to participate and give their views in relation to that. But it has come as a result of very significant engagement, consideration and assessment as to what the optimal approach is in relation to addressing the issues at Daley's roundabout. So I certainly will pass on on your behalf Deputy Healy-Rae the fact you raised it here today. I know it is something that will continue to get significant consideration locally through the County Council and through the local consultation process and I know it is something you will stay actively involved in considering as well. Thank you.