Vol. 522 No. 4
172 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress to date in respect of advancement of the national roads programme as identified in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18955/00]
The national development plan includes an amount of £4.7 billion for the improvement and maintenance of the national road network in the period 2000 to 2006. This is a threefold increase in the level of investment in national roads provided for in 1994-99. This funding will ensure development by 2006 of the major inter-urban routes to motorway-high quality dual carriageway standard, further major improvements on other national primary routes, and improvement of national secondary roads, with emphasis on routes which are of particular importance to economic and regional development, including links to the strategic corridors, roads serving key ports, airports, tourist areas, industry and multi-purpose roads.
Details of this national roads strategy are set out in the NDP and will be further elaborated on in the Operational Programme for Economic and Social Infrastructure. Progress reports are provided in the annual review documents published by the National Roads Authority. Further monitoring reports will be produced, in due course, by the monitoring committee for the operational programme.
As indicated in the NDP, public private partnerships will play an important role in the achievement of the ambitious targets set out for the improvement of road infrastructure in the period to 2006. Three pilot PPP projects, namely, the N25 Waterford bypass, the Limerick southern ring, phase two, and the second Liffey Valley bridge, M50, are already under development as PPP schemes. In addition, eight further roads PPP projects have recently been announced by the NRA.
I am satisfied that significant progress is being made on the advancement of the national roads programme as set out in the NDP, and that stated targets will be met.
