Vol. 469 No. 6
55 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for the Environment the reason the N17 national primary route is not included in the national roads network programme, 1994 to 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16217/96]
The Operational Programme for Transport, 1994 to 1999, launched by my predecessor and the previous Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications in November 1994, outlines the strategy for the development of the network of national primary roads over that period. The N17 national primary route forms part of one of the four key corridors to which priority is to be given and to which at least 70 per cent of total investment on national primary routes is to be allocated.
The Operational Programme included, at Annex 2A, an indicative overview of specific projects being considered for the period of the programme, using all available sources of funding — EU Regional Development and Cohesion Funds and national resources. This overview is necessarily tentative given the complex statutory and other procedures which must be completed before particular projects can proceed to construction stage and the factors which can impact on progress once construction stage is reached. In addition, all projects for which EU assistance is sought have to be approved in accordance with the requirements of the Regional Development or Cohesion Fund, as appropriate.
Inclusion of a project in Annex 2A does not necessarily imply that the project will be submitted or approved for EU assistance. Projects other than those listed may also be submitted and-or approved if they meet the criteria for the relevant fund. The selection of the individual projects to be funded in any year is a matter for the National Roads Authority.
