The statutory procedures provided for under the Roads Act, 1993 in relation to motorway schemes, environmental impact statements – EIS – and toll schemes were observed in respect of the Dublin Port tunnel. This included provision for submissions and the holding of a public inquiry. The public inquiry was held over 22 days between 2 March and 27 April 1999 and, following consideration of the inspectors' report, I approved the motorway scheme and EIS subject to modifications and the toll scheme on 22 December 1999. Public notice of the approval of the motorway scheme and EIS were printed in the national newspapers on 7 January 2000. Following my decision, the inspectors' report has been made available by my Department on request.
Any application for judicial review in relation to an approved road scheme must be made within the period of two months commencing on the date on which notice of the approving decision was first published; this was 7 January 2000 in the case of the Dublin Port tunnel.