Deputy Danny Healy-Rae has once again raised the urgent need for a Killarney bypass in the Dáil, highlighting the ongoing traffic congestion and safety concerns plaguing the town.

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During a Topical Issue debate in the Dail on Wednesday night, Healy-Rae pressed the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Ossian Smyth, for updates on the long-awaited project.
"The safety of motorists is being compromised daily at the existing junctions at Coolcaslagh, Ballycasheen, Lewis Road, and Aghadoe," Healy-Rae said.

"People's lives are in their hands trying to cross that road with cars coming out from Killarney."
He also emphasised the severe traffic congestion in the town, with roads like the Tralee Road and Mission Road often gridlocked.
"Many of the roads into Killarney are dedicated car parks," he added.
Healy-Rae urged Smyth to expedite the process of selecting a preferred route for the bypass, which has been under consideration for years.
"Hundreds of acres of land have been effectively sterilised for more than 20 years," he said, referring to the planning restrictions imposed during the assessment of potential routes.
In response, Smyth confirmed that the Killarney to Farranfore bypass project remains part of the National Development Plan and that sufficient funding is allocated to complete the route options phase in 2024.
However, he acknowledged that the project's delivery timeline may be subject to review in future years based on the overall funding available.
Healy-Rae expressed his disappointment with the slow progress and reiterated the urgent need for government support to ensure that the bypass project proceeds to the design and environmental evaluation stage. He highlighted the economic benefits that the bypass would bring to the region and the frustration experienced by residents and visitors alike due to the current traffic congestion.