Bernard Allen
Question:199 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the amount of money which has been allocated and spent to date by her Department in each county under the National Development Plan. [26536/01]
Written Answers. - National Development Plan.
Over the seven years of the national development plan, it is proposed to invest £2.2 billion, 2.8 billion, in public transport. The Greater Dublin Area will benefit from a £1.6 billion, 2.03 billion, investment in public transport and £650 million, 825 million, is being allocated under the NDP proposals to address regional transport requirements.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the expenditure to date on a county by county basis. However, overall to end-June 2001, almost £451 million, 573 million has been spent on public transport projects. The main objectives of the investment is to upgrade the mainline rail infrastructure, rolling stock and facilities; upgrade the suburban rail and DART network; develop the light rail network; develop the bus services in Dublin, in the major provincial cities and towns and to develop and improve rural bus services. These combined objectives will be achieved through: mainline rail investment in safety and renewal; enhanced suburban rail services through increased capacity on the DART and outer suburban rail services; increased frequency of suburban rail services; introduction of the LUAS services in 2003; regional bus improvements (provincial cities, rural and main routes from and to Dublin; Dublin city bus improvements; ongoing fleet replacement and re-equipment by Bus Éireann and Bus Átha Cliath; and accessibility improvements to existing public transport infrastructure and facilities.
The NDP monitoring committee established by my Department, which includes representatives from the CIE Group and the Department of Finance, is responsible for overseeing progress, both financial and physical, of the public transport projects.
Under the airports measure of the national development plan, a sum of £14 million, 17.8 million (1999 prices) has been allocated to assist with necessary infrastructural upgrades and improvements at the six regional airports in Ireland. The allocation is £6 million, 7.62 million for the two regional airports in the S&E region at Farranfore, (Kerry) and Waterford and £8 million, 10.16 million for the four regional airports in the BMW region at Carrickfin (Donegal), Galway, Knock and Sligo.
There has been no expenditure to date of this amount. However, my Department is currently examining and assessing the projects which have been submitted for support under the NDP by the six regional airport authorities concerned.
Under the sustainable energy priority within the framework of the national development plan, £113.7 million, 144.4 million is earmarked for investment in the south and east region and £61.5 million, 78.1 million in the Border, midland and western region. My Department has overall responsibility for the administration of this funding and the Irish Energy Centre which operates under the aegis of my Department, is the main conduit for implementing this Priority. While expenditure to date in 2001 of £2.35 million, 2.99 million has been incurred in the south and east region, this would also have an impact in the BMW region.
Under the communications measure of the national development plan, an amount of £43.4 million, 55.1 million was allocated in 2001. As the projects involved are infrastructual projects spanning many counties, no county breakdown is available.