Vol. 569 No. 3
407 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the progress which has been made by his Department in the design and construction of the Drogheda northern cross route; the discussions which have taken place with a view to a public private partnership for the construction of this route; if such a partnership will involve a toll; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17725/03]
The design and construction of the Drogheda northern cross route is a matter for Louth County Council. Funding arrangements for the construction of this project, including tolling, is also a matter for consideration by the council in the first instance. My Department has allocated Louth County Council a non-national road grant of €150,000 in 2003, under the EU co-financed specific improvement grants scheme, for the design stage of the Drogheda northern cross port access scheme. My Department will be seeking grant applications for 2004 later this year and it would, of course, be open to the council to prioritise this project for funding in 2004 under the co-financing scheme.
