TII chief says N4 Mullingar to Longford ugrade remains key priority
One of the most senior transport officials in the country has said the protracted upgrade of the N4 between Mullingar and Longford remains a key priority for State agency bosses.
Peter Walsh, chief executive of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) told the Dail's Joint Committee on Transport and Communications of the pressing need to fast-track the multi million euro project as soon as funding allows.
The TII boss said officials within his own organisation were currently readying draft budget to its own board in a bid to determine what money might be forthcoming from the Department of Transport next year.
"That section of (N4) road warrants intervention and we have been keen to progress that project, insofar as funds will allow, and we will continue that," he said.
"Unfortunately, I cannot give the committee any definitive word because we still have not had our money for 2023 confirmed by the Department."
The proposed upgrade of what is one of the region's busiest carriageways has been beset by long running funding issues, something Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy alluded to when responding to the TII boss.
The Ballinalee postmaster told of how there had been 20 fatalities, 34 serious injuries and a further 218 accidents on the N4 section between Mullingar and Roosky since 2008.
"The Government has prioritised balanced regional development as core to the economics of this country, with every region having the opportunity to benefit from that, but the entire north west beyond Mullingar is not benefiting from it," he said.
"This is the missing piece from the jigsaw of the entire country’s network with regard to accessibility to our capital."