Pat the Cope Gallagher officially opens Castleisland to Abbeyfeale road project

Date: 24 July 2006

Minister of State for Transport, Mr. Pat the Cope Gallagher, T.D. today (Monday, 24th July 2006) officially opened the 7km Castleisland/Abbeyfeale road project on the N21artery. “This ‘design and build’ project has been completed three months ahead of schedule and at a cost of €34 million, and is within budget”, said the Minister. The project was financed by the Irish Government with assistance from the European Development Fund.

Speaking on our national roads programme, the Minister said that good progress is being made in upgrading the network throughout the country. “Sixty four schemes have been completed since 2000 to date, including major projects on the M1 from Dublin to Dundalk, M7 Monasterevin Bypass, M4 Kinnegad/Enfield, N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road, N11 Glen of the Downs and M50 South Eastern Motorway. Work is underway on others such as N18 Ennis Bypass, N8 Cashel/Mitchelstown, N25 Waterford City Bypass, N4 Dromod/Roosky and N5 Charlestown Bypass. The opening of this project today brings the total road openings in 2006 to eight.

“The national roads upgrade programme is about more than major upgrade projects. It is also about upgrading the national secondary network.

There are nearly 2700km of roads in the national secondary network on 33 routes from the N51 to the N87. While traffic levels are less on the secondary than on the primary network, the secondary routes are important in providing links to the primary network and are of strategic importance to the regions that they serve. The national secondary roads are vital to Co Kerry in providing access to the main tourist attractions in the county. Coupled with an allocation of €8.37million for pavement restoration and other improvements on the N69, N70, N71, N72 and N86 in 2006, the National Roads Authority has allocated a further €2.145million for pavement restoration and other improvements on the N21 and N22 also. This €10.515million is in addition to what is allocated to major projects on the N21 and N22”, said the Minister.

Minister Gallagher appealed to all attending today’s ceremony to play their part in helping make our roads safer. He said that while road developments such as this project will deliver safety gains in engineering terms, they must be used safely. “In remembering to slow down, fasten safety belts and never ever drink and drive, we should bear in mind that when we get behind the wheel, our lives, and those of other road users, depend on our behaviour.” He spoke of the measures underway in his own county of Donegal to tackle the carnage on their roads. He also spoke of the extra powers now given by the Government to the Gardaí, enabling them to carry out mandatory breath testing and the ban on the use of mobile phones while driving.

“I would like to acknowledge the work that the Gardaí are doing in their efforts to make our roads safer and in helping us to change the mindset of drivers. Again, I remind you that any driver who refuses to obey the law can expect to be caught and punished. It is no longer a case of whether you’ll be caught drink driving, speeding or driving dangerously or carelessly such as using a mobile phone while driving, but rather when you’ll be caught.

“Do you continue to break the law or do you make a decision to play your part and drive within the rules? The choice is yours. That choice could save a life or waste a life. Similarly, if you choose to miss a call on your hand held mobile phone while driving it won’t kill you, but an accident caused by you taking that call while driving, could kill you or another person. Again, the choice is yours. A combined effort by all of us will make our roads safer. We can do that each time we drive or refuse to travel with someone who insists on drink driving”, he added.

Mr. Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Authority said: “The National Roads Programme has an important regional dimension. County Kerry is one of Ireland’s internationally recognised destinations with events such as the Rose of Tralee festival and the scenic beauty of the Ring of Kerry, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the county each year. The Castleisland/Abbeyfeale scheme is an important link along the N21 which will bring tourists from all over the world to the heart of the Kingdom, reducing journey times and most importantly of all, improving safety.”

ENDS

Further info: Veronica Scanlan at 087 6430622