Edward Nealon
Question:239 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for the Environment if all the major road improvements scheduled under the operations programme have so far started within the time specified in the programme.
Written Answers. - Operational Programme on Peripherality.
The Operational Programme on Peripherality included an indicative list of 57 major schemes for the improvement of national primary roads. Twenty-three of these schemes were projected to start in either 1989, 1990 of 1991 and 19 of them were started on schedule. The position regarding the remaining four schemes is as follows:
The N1 Dunleer bypass (County Louth) which was scheduled to start in 1989 has been underway since early 1991.
Proposals for the acceptance of a tender for the first of two major contracts for the N4 Lucan-Kilcock bypass (County Kildare) and for the acceptance of a tender for the N4 Mullingar bypass (County Westmeath), both of which were scheduled to commence in 1991, were approved in August 1991 and October 1991 respectively. Both schemes have since started.
Work will get under way later this year on the Northern Cross Route element of the Dublin Ring Road which was scheduled to commence in 1991. Tenders will be invited shortly for the first phase of this project which includes the Navan Road interchange.
In the period to the end of 1991, 17 major projects for the improvement of national primary roads, with a combined cost (including pre-1989 expenditure) of £204 million, had been completed under the operational programme. At the end of 1991, construction was under way on a further 14 such schemes (including schemes which had started before 1989) with a combined cost of £304 million. By the end of 1991, some £158 million in European Regional Development Fund assistance had been drawn down for road projects under the programme. This is the maximum level of assistance that could have been paid in the period. Overall progress on the roads element of the programme is, therefore, very satisfactory.
I will be making an announcement shortly on the 1992 road grant allocations. The announcement will include details of the major road schemes to start in 1992.