Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 Feb 1990

Vol. 396 No. 4

Written Answers. - Transport Infrastructure Development.

John Bruton

Ceist:

22 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the recent report of the European Court of Auditors (details supplied) stated that the following transport infrastructure projects, assisted by the EC Regional Fund, have suffered long delays: (a) the Wexford by-pass, County Wexford, (b) the Shankill to Bray Road, County Dublin and (c) the Dunleer by-pass project, County Louth; if he will outline his response to these criticisms by the Court of Auditors; and whether any change in procedure has been initiated to avoid a recurrence of this situation.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

The report refers to delays on a number of projects, in EC member states, which are being assisted from EC special transport infrastructure grants including the three by-passes at Wexford, Shankill/Bray and Dunleer. My Department issued its response to this aspect of the report in December last.

The estimated total cost of these three schemes is £51.6 million. The transport infrastructural grants committed for these schemes is £7.1 million, of which £3.5 million has been advanced to date. Total expenditure on these schemes up to the end of 1989 was £14.4 million.

Wexford by-pass was approved by the EC Commission for EC transport infrastructure grant assistance in 1984. Most of the work on the by-pass was completed by the end of 1986. Work on the balance of the project could not commence until 1986 because of protracted land acquisition difficulties. The full by-pass was opened for traffic in 1988 and all outstanding works were completed in 1989.

Bray/Shankill and Dunleer by-passes were approved for transport infrastructure grant assistance in 1985 and 1986, respectively. Commencement of construction on these schemes was delayed due to cutbacks, in Exchequer expenditure generally. Both projects commenced in 1989.

Now that order has been restored to the public finances, it will be possible to ensure that sufficient Exchequer funding is committed to enable projects to proceed as planned. This should avoid a recurrence of the problem that arose in this instance.