The roads logjam

KrisW1001

There will be a full list published, with all the details, just as there was last year. Nobody is keeping secrets, but it takes time to put together the whole thing and double check it.

Because they are part of the process the TDs and councillors got to hear news early, and because they're TDs and councillors, they're using the info to improve their image with the electorate. It was ever thus.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121781477#Comment_121781477

These are long term multi-year projects, the time taken to compile a list should not be material to the process.

KrisW1001

I have had to compile similar documents (in a different field) in the past, and I can tell you it takes time to compile and publish a report like this. That goes double for one intended for wide distribution, where you don't have the option of emailing on a corrected copy. This is an official document of record, so the information needs to be correct before it is published.

The elected representatives took their own notes at the meeting and are telling their constituents about them, as is part of their job, but nothing is official until it is published.

marno21

TII's allocations will be out next week. Very detailed pdf as every year.

The local & regional allocations are usually less clear when they are published. Most of it is resurfacing and maintenance money apart from a few small "strategic projects" (recent examples Carrigaline relief road, Killaloe bridge/bypass, Athy SDR etc), most of which are small and the scale of them is usually blown out of all proportions in press releases etc.

There shouldn't really be a need for Ministers to turn up to have an opening ceremony for a 1km single carriageway local authority project, generally the existence of which was puzzling/embarrassing before it was constructed.

marno21

Interesting how the Government are allocating a sum of 4x the entire budget for new roads for 2024 to one road project in a different jurisdiction

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-northern-ireland-68346193

Especially considering the roads that connect to the A5 in the south are cattle tracks and the Minister is doing his level best to keep them that way

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792266#Comment_121792266

I agree with the government making a significant contribution but that does seem huge. How much is the total A5 contract?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792298#Comment_121792298

£1.6Bn is the most recent estimate.

Pete_Cavan

They know that they won't actually have to pay out on it.

Hibernicis

2024 Grant Allocations to Local Authorities for National Roads, Active Travel and Greenways

https://www.tii.ie/news/press-releases/2024-grant-allocations-to/

Limerick74

Quite a few big schemes to be stalled / delayed again this year with insufficient funding. Would be better to defund them rather than give them unworkable allocations.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805408#Comment_121805408

I have been saying that here for years, we are stringing too many projects along at a slow pace with very little progress being made overall. Everything getting tens to a couple of hundred grand a year but only enough to keep ticking over, not enough to really push on.

The budget for new roads is supposed to increase from 2026 but apart from the Slane and Ardee bypasses, there is not going to be much that has cleared planning and is ready for construction at that stage.

Resources should have been thrown at a smaller number of projects to get them into ABP and ready to go from 2026. Instead, funding has been spread too thin and we'll have a large number of projects only going to ABP from 2026 which will be again overloaded.

We are even skimping on Foynes - Limerick now for no good reason, it should have been ramping up with significant progress and payments being made in 26, instead the measly project will be winding down then.

marno21

Any projects in particular come to mind?

M11 Oilgate-Rosslare was meant to be ABP ready this year. The N21 bypasses in Limerick look measly enough too.

Then again, 145m in funding is absolutely pathetic for this year. There is no justification for it when there is 3 projects meant to be under construction by year end (N21 Adare 2027, M28 Cork-Rinagskiddy and the now u/c N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge)

Limerick74

N72 Mallow, N21 Bypasses, N3 Virginia, and N24 to name a few.

Kermit.de.frog

You'll have to wait until the Greens are out of transport to get anything done unfortunately. It's deliberate interference in delivery of vital infrastructure for ideological purposes.

marno21

https://www.businesspost.ie/article/cabinet-signs-off-on-extra-e2-25bn-in-capital-spending/

Additional 2.25bn in capital spending allocated between 2024-2026.

That €2.25 billion will be split over three years, and the lions share of new funding will go to transport, health, education and climate spending.

No mention of specific projects.

It'll also be interesting to see now that the Government has a leader who actually appears interested in doing his job and is alive to the fact there's an election to be fought in the next 12 months if there will be any changes to the attitude to the roads program

It's somewhat reassuring that there's a good chance that within the next 12 months we may have new leadership in the DoT who will hopefully be interested in advancing the roads program rather than urinating on it.

Pete_Cavan

Which road projects can they actually spend any additional allocation on between 2024-2026?

The N5 project is already on site and the M21 and M28 are progressing to tender and have funding committed. The Foynes leg of Foynes - Limerick has been cut so that probably means roads spend will be behind previous estimates. The Slane and Ardee bypasses might start in that period if approved by ABP but they aren't huge and probably covered under current spending profiles.

There will be little or nothing from roads ready for construction to avail of the increased funding the between 24 and 26.

Cookiemunster

The Foynes to Rathkeale road has not been cut. Attyflin to Croagh is being prioritised ahead of the rest so Adare can be bypassed for the Ryder Cup.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121947264#Comment_121947264

It won't start construction before 2027 so won't be availing of this additional funding is the point I was making.

marno21

Can the M21 from Croagh to Rathkeale and the Foynes link start before 2027 if adequately resourced? I can't think of any reason why not.

In terms of increased funding between now and 2026, perhaps resources to get the roads projects in advanced planning over the line in that timeframe and into pre-construction phase. The 3 Donegal TEN-T projects, the two N21 bypasses, Virginia, Carrick on Shannon, the M20, the N17 bypasses, Tipp Town, the M11 etc.

Hibernicis

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/eamon-ryan-expects-significant-pushback-to-wide-ranging-traffic-reduction-measures/?utm_source=latestside&utm_medium=article

"The minister for transport said that “corrupt rezoning” had gifted the country a car dependent transport network"

Ryan certainly hasn't changed his message and the absence of shovel ready projects won't be too much of an issue if Ryan continues to get his way. Hopefully the election will focussing the sights of the other two parties in government and we will see the fight that has been brewing for some time.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121949272#Comment_121949272

That statement has little bearing on intercity and inter-town roads network though

Westernview

Paschal Donohoe on the radio earlier said that the majority of the extra 2.25bn announced is to cover inflation increases and to progress projects already scheduled in the NDP and with a small portion of it for additional projects to be announced later in the year. He denies it's pre-election spending so time will tell.

Inflation is such a problem right now but I think they are taking the right approach to keep projects going.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/donohoe-denies-multibillion-euro-spending-plan-linked-to-election-1607144.html

Hibernicis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121949293#Comment_121949293

Ryan doesn't discriminate. All roads are bad.

beachhead

All roads should lead to nowhere says Eamonn

Frostybrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003016#Comment_122003016

Perhaps, but on this matter he's correct.

marno21

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f2452-cabinet-approves-plan-for-major-road-developments-in-donegal/

The three Donegal TEN-T projects are off to ABP. This is the first road project to hit ABP that wasn't a component of Enda Kenny's Building on Recovery plan that was published in 2015. (with the exception of the N5 project through Roscommon which was funded through the Kenny years without being a part of any Capital Investment plan).

spacetweek

Here’s hoping for a decision time not measured in years.

hi5

Now that we just found an extra 13 billion down the back of the sofa we can get on with all these infrastructure projects.

EU top court ruling paves way for Apple to pay Ireland over €13bn in taxes – The Irish Times

I'm not holding my breath.

spacetweek

What makes you think that extra funding would speed up infrastructure plans? It's the planning system and lack of capacity in the construction industry that are the barriers here, not money.

We've been running massive surpluses of corporation tax for years now. The country is awash with money. It's a case of spending it wisely and streamlining processes.

roadmaster

I see in the Indo today the appear to be saying the reason for the road repairs cut back is due to cost over runs on projects like the adare bypass and money has to be diverted there instead.