The planning, design and implementation of national roads improvement projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the relevant local authorities concerned — in this case Westmeath County Council. I assume the Deputy is referring to a recent newspaper report comparing the cost of the upgrade of the Kilcock-Kinnegad section of the N4-N6 to the estimated cost of the Kinnegad-Athlone section of the N6.
I understand from the NRA that the report was inaccurate in a number of respects. The Kilcock to Kinnegad section is a full motorway with provision for the addition of a third lane in the median should that be necessary in the future. The Kinnegad to Kilbeggan section is a standard dual carriageway. Typically, there is a construction cost difference, using standard costings, of over €2 million per kilometre between these two road types. This alone would generate a difference in costs of at least €80 million between the two road types for a 39 km motorway.
The amount of private finance assigned in the newspaper report to the Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme for the purpose of calculating the per kilometre costs was overstated by over €40 million and the length of the Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme was understated by 4 km which would cost approximately €35 million to construct. The combination of these amounted to an overestimate of €120 million.
In addition, the Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme costs include provision for maintenance and reinvestment throughout the 30 year concession period and no such maintenance or life-cycle reinvestment costs apply in the tender price for design and build schemes. The Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme will require the construction of a toll plaza. Allowing for a three year construction period tolls will be payable over 27 years.
It should also be noted that all national road schemes are procured by means of a competitive tendering process in accordance with national and EU tendering and procurement regulations and the Kilcock to Kinnegad PPP contract was subject to rigorous evaluation and the conclusion reached by independent financial advisers to the NRA was that it represented excellent value for money.