asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding the five potential toll road projects listed in Private Sector Investment in Road Improvements — Department of the Environment — February, 1985.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Toll Road Projects.
27.
The five projects identified in my Department's document as potentially suitable for tolling were:— Newbridge By-Pass, Lucan-Kilcock Road, Balbriggan By-Pass, Downstream Crossing of the River Lee, Dublin Ring Road (Navan Road-Lucan Road Section).
Without prejudice to the statutory procedures involved, the Government have already given their approval in principle to private sector funding of the Navan Road-Lucan Road section of the Dublin ring road involving the use of tolls. A toll scheme for this project was approved by Dublin County in June last. The preparation of the necessary motorway scheme is expected to be completed shortly. It is proposed to hold a public inquiry into both the toll scheme and the motorway scheme early next year. The possibility of private sector investment involving the use of tolls in the Newbridge by-pass is at present the subject of discussions with a group representative of banking and building interests.
Other interests have also sought information on possible investment in the listed projects but have not to date made specific proposals.
Has any approach been made to the European Investment Bank for any of the five schemes to which the Minister referred? Could the Minister also indicate whether these will be single or multiple contracts and how far design work has progressed in each of the schemes?
Planning is proceeding at present in regard to the Lucan-Kilcock road and a public inquiry into the motorway scheme will be held next year. Subject to the outcome of the inquiry, work is scheduled to commence in 1987. With regard to the Balbriggan by-pass, planning is proceeding at local authority level while work is scheduled to commence on the road plan in 1987 and it is hoped that this target will be met. With regard to the downstream crossing of the River Lee, a public inquiry into Cork Corporation's application for a bridge order was held in October 1985 and the transcript is at present being typed. Work is not scheduled to commence on this project until after 1987. The Lucan road-Navan road proposal is currently being discussed with Dublin Corporation and there is a toll road proposal of which the Deputy might be aware. It will cost a sum of £23 million and the design is well advanced in relation to it. The possibility in regard to the Newbridge by-pass — and it is no more than a possibility — is that private sector investment in this project is under discussion between the relevant authorities and I am not in a position to give an indication as to the outcome of those discussions.
The Minister said in a recent report that, while EC grants would not be available for private investment in roads, the promoters would be free to approach the European Investment Bank for loans if they so wished. The Department of the Environment should be consulted before an approach is made and I should like to know if any such approach has been made to the European Investment Bank.
For future guidance, quotations are not in order at Question Time.
I do not know if any such approach has been made.