asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding each of the design and construct road projects.
Written Answers. - Road Projects.
203.
On 30 September 1986 an announcement was made to the effect that the following four major road improvement projects would be carried out on a fixed price design and construct basis:—
Dunleer By-Pass (County Louth)
Mullingar By-Pass (County Westmeath)
Malahide Road (County Dublin)
Dundalk Inner Relief (Phases 3 and 4) (County Louth).
This procedure had not previously been used for road works in Ireland.
Following consultation with the local authorities concerned and representatives of the building industry, my Department shared their view that certain important aspects of design-construct contracts are not suitable for road works. For example, the representatives of the industry considered that the pricing of works below ground gave rise to unacceptable risks under the proposed system. Accordingly, it was decided not to proceed with the introduction of design-construct contracts for road works at this time. The local authorities concerned were informed of the position in August 1987.
It is now intended that the improvement projects in question will be carried out on the basis of the current system of contract. The timing of construction work on the projects is being considered in the context of the preparation of a blueprint for road development which I intend to publish within the next few months.