Vol. 476 No. 4
68 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Environment his views on the access and transport routes available to Dublin Port; his views on whether people's health and well-being should take precedence over economic gains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7191/97]
The question of access to Dublin Port was considered in detail as part of the Dublin Transportation Initiative and the subsequent report recommended the development of a northern port access route. As this route is intended to be a national primary road the development of appropriate proposals is, accordingly, a matter for Dublin Corporation, as road authority, acting under the general supervision of the National Roads Authority which has overall responsibility for the planning, design, construction and financing of national roads.
It is the intention that the proposed route should be constructed as a motorway. The Roads Act, 1993 outlines the statutory procedures which must be complied with before a project of this nature can proceed. These include a full environmental impact assessment, the preparation of a motorway scheme and the holding of a public inquiry into all matters relating to the scheme, including the environmental impact. These procedures, which involve extensive public consultation, give all interested persons or organisations ample opportunity to make their views and concerns known, and ensure that all views or objections are fully considered before a final decision is taken on a proposed scheme. As Minister, I have a quasi-judicial function in relation to individual motorway schemes and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any aspect of a particular proposal until the statutory procedures have been complied with.
