Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2012
269 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which the next phase of motorway extension is likely to progress; if discussions have taken place in this regard with a view to identifying the most necessary developments in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9127/12]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
As outlined in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework 2012-2016, the key objective in the current economic circumstances is to protect the investment made to date in the road network and to progress a limited number of road improvement schemes. At this point the Ballaghdereen bypass and the N11/Newlands Cross PPP scheme are the only major schemes scheduled to commence construction in the next few years. It is also hoped to progress the N17/18 scheme as a PPP project.
