Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 6

Written Answers. - Transport Group.

Máirín Quill

Ceist:

8 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the current position regarding the EU high level transport group referred to in his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 14 on 2 July 1996; the name of Ireland's representative on this group; the terms of reference of the group; when a report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19570/96]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

The EU high level transport group referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 14 on 2 July 1996 was established by the Commission to help find new ways of accelerating the implementation of partnerships between the public and private sectors in the financing of priority transport infrastructure projects in the context of the trans-European transport networks.

The purpose of the high level group is to take stock of the major obstacles, especially of a financial nature, encountered by some of the TENs priority projects and to propose new, concrete solutions to these problems with the aim of avoiding delays in their implementation. These solutions may be drawn either from experiences of existing public-private partnerships for TENS projects which have been successfully implemented, or from other innovative ideas or initiatives.

The group has met twice to date, on 23 September and 11 October, and has established five specialist sub-groups to consider specific aspects of its mandate. Ireland is represented on the group by Mr. Pat Mangan, an assistant secretary from my Department. I understand the group aims to have a report completed in time for the June 1997 European Council meeting.

Ireland is participating fully in the work of this group in order to gain the benefits of the views and experience of other member states and to be in a position to contribute on an informed basis to the ongoing debate at Commission level.