Taoiseach positive on €600m. Mayo to Sligo N17 project

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has spoken positively about the N17 Knock to Collooney road project proceeding sooner that Environment Minister Eamon Ryan indicated.

Minister Ryan controversially told elected members of Sligo County Council earlier this month that it will not start "for many years" despite it being progressed to the planning and development stage.

Now An Taoiseach has informed Mayo TD Rose Conway-Walsh that "it will go ahead."

"However," he articulated, "as is always the case, there is roughly €500 million for the national roads budget for maintenance and then also for new projects.

"It is never the case that there is funding every year to progress every project. It never was the case and it never will be the case.

"Funding happens on an annual basis and what we have agreed is that if funding becomes available through the course of the year because one project has been slowed for some reason, then that can be reallocated to another project."

Deputy Conway-Walsh said people in Mayo, Sligo, and in the west want a straight answer on the N17 Knock to Collooney scheme.

"The landowners along the corridor obviously have their land sterilised in this, but people want a straight answer as to what is happening.

"There is a collective responsibility for this project."