Vol. 555 No. 3
224 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Transport if the National Roads Authority has directed that the specifications for some of the roads scheduled to be constructed under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 should be reduced; if so, the location of such roads; if additional consultant fees will have to be paid again to redesign such roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18472/02]
The national development plan sets out a strategic framework for the development of national roads and provides for investment of €6.75 billion in national road improvements over the period 2000-2006.
Under the Roads Act, 1993, the NRA has overall responsibility for the planning and supervision of works for the construction and maintenance of national roads. It is a matter for the NRA, within the NDP framework, to promote the detailed programming of the work required and to manage, in co-operation with local authorities, the planning, design and implementation of individual road development projects and I have issued no direction to the NRA to alter the specification for national roads.
