Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Feb 2002

Vol. 550 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Network.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

19 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress made regarding the implementation of the national roads programme; if his attention has been drawn to claims made by the Construction Industry Federation that the programme was stalled and running out of money; his views on these claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6964/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

Good progress is being maintained with the development of the national roads network as mandated in the national development plan, including the advancement of the five major inter-urban routes.

The NDP provides for investment of €5.59 billion, at 1999 prices, in national road improvements over the period 2000-2006. This represents a threefold increase on the 1994-1999 period. The NDP also sets out a strategic framework for the development of the national roads network over the plan period.

It is a matter for the NRA, within the NDP framework, to promote detailed programming of the work required and to manage, in co-operation with local authorities, the planning, design and implementation of individual road development projects.

The total 2002 provision for the national roads improvement programme is €958 million. This represents an increase of €50 million on the 2001 out-turn, is more than three times the 1997 level of expenditure and nearly twice that of 1999. The investment of nearly €2.5 billion which will have been made in national road improvements for the first three years of the NDP, which is to end 2002, is already more than €260 million, or some 10%, in excess of the planned NDP profile.

Since 1997, some 60 major projects on the national road network have either been completed or are under way and 15 new projects were opened to traffic in 1991 alone. The NRA programme will see over 20 projects being taken forward during 2002 including the M50 Dublin Port Tunnel, south eastern motorway, new sections of motorway on the M1 between Dublin Airport and the Balbriggan by-pass and the Drogheda by-pass, N5 Strokestown-Longford, N7 Kildare by-pass, N7 Limerick southern ring road, phase 1, N11 Rathnew-Ashford by-pass, N17 Knock Claremorris, N18 Newmarket-on-Fergus by-pass, N22 Ballincollig by-pass and N25 Youghal by-pass.

Against this background, I have already taken issue with the recent Construction Industry Federation analysis of the NDP national roads programme, which in my view is unrealistic in not recognising the major progress now being made in national road construction, despite more difficult economic conditions.

The Government remains committed to the strong and accelerated promotion of the NDP national roads programme and the pace and volume of the programme in 2002 reflect this.