The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the outturn costs of individual road projects, is a matter for the National Roads Authority and the local authorities concerned. The NDP mid-term target of 30% completion of the major inter-urban routes by the end of 2003 was largely met with 29% of the programme completed on schedule. In relation to the national roads programme overall, it should be noted that since 2000 a total of 41 projects, over 277 kms, have been completed. Work is in progress on 18 projects, 199 kms, and another 12 projects, 88 kms, are at tender stage. The estimated cost of delivering the programme was €16.4 million at end 2003 prices.
I understand from the NRA that the current position in relation to the upgrading of the five major inter-urban routes to motorway-high quality dual carriageway standard is that the M1 is expected to be fully complete by end 2006. Work is underway on major projects on the N7 — Monasterevin by-pass, which is expected to be opened later this year, on the N8 — Cashel by-pass and the Fermoy by-pass on the N4-N6 — Kilcock-Kinnegad, and the N1 Dundalk Western by-pass. Work is expected to start this year on Dundalk to Newry on the M1, the Waterford city by-pass and the Naas Road widening. Completion of these projects will eliminate many of the major bottlenecks on these routes.
In addition, it is expected that compulsory purchase orders and environmental impact statements for the remaining projects in planning on these routes will either be approved by, or be before, An Bord Pleanála by end 2004.