Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 21 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Roads Funding.

Mr. O'Dowd

The Drogheda northern port access cross route will cost €28.6 million. It is an essential road for the expansion of the town of Drogheda and a critical issue for the local authority. Its length is 5.5 kms and it will take all of the traffic from the motorway across to the port. Drogheda is clogged with traffic. Heavy trucks travel to and from the port through the streets of the town, which is a matter of concern to all the citizens.

In a report to the county council last Monday the Louth county manager said work on the project had been suspended indefinitely and would not be resumed until £1 million expended by the council had been recouped. No commitment has been made by the Drogheda Port Company to contribute to the cost or by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources which was to be approached by the port company.

As the project does not concern a national road, the NRA has no involvement. The Department of the Environment and Local Government, which is aware of the project, will not be approached until funding is committed and paid by the port company and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The road must be paid for by the following parties: Drogheda Corporation, Drogheda Borough Council, Drogheda Port Company, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and those with planning permission to develop the town on the northern environs in which 15,000 new dwellings will be built.

The road is essential to contribute to the proper and orderly development of Drogheda. Unless it is built the town will not develop in a manner acceptable to the people who live there. The development plan for the northern side of the town is under consideration. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is my constituency colleague. He must use his power and influence within his Department which has a very important role to play. The future of Drogheda relies on his Department's contribution. Louth County Council and Drogheda Corporation have placed the road at the core of the development plan and £1 million has already been spent. It is up to the Minister to do his bit for the town.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Gallagher)

Ba mhaith liom ar an chéad dul síos mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht na ceiste seo a ardú ar an Athló tráthnóna anocht.

Before turning to the specific issue raised in relation to Louth County Council, I wish to avail of this opportunity to outline the progress being made in relation to the significant resourcing of non-national roads. On 18 January this year a record provision for non-national roads of €438.46 million was announced for 2002. This represents an increase of 9.4% on the 2001 outturn and a doubling of the original 1997 allocation of over €219 million. In making this provision the Government was again delivering, as it had in previous years, on its commitment to ensure an adequate financial base for the non-national roads programme. This has been copperfastened by the national development plan, which commits expenditure of €2.43 billion in the period to 2006, channelled through the regional operational programmes of the BMW and southern and eastern regional assemblies. What this means is that there will be significant expenditure on non-national roads in each of the years covered by the NDP. Under the plan, State grant expenditure in the period 2000-02 was profiled at €1.04 billion. We have exceeded this profile, spending €1.184 billion in the period. We will continue to invest in non-national roads over the lifetime of the plan.

All local authorities have benefited equally from this increased investment. Louth County Council's 2002 allocation of €6,124,575 represents an increase of 115% on the 1997 outturn of €2,846,753 and a 20% increase on the 2001 payment figure of €5,067,876. In addition, the council has indicated that it intends to invest over €2 million from its own resources on non-national roads in 2002. This, in effect, means that it should have over €8.1 million available to it in 2002 for non-national roads.

The council recently submitted six proposals to the Department for funding totalling €2.525 million in 2003 under the EU co-financed specific improvement grants scheme. These proposals include an application for funding of €150,000 for the Drogheda port access road, otherwise known as the Ballymakenny cross route. This application, together with all other applications under the scheme, are being assessed in my Department, having regard to compliance with eligibility criteria, the need to prioritise projects, competing demands from other local authorities and the funds available for the scheme in 2003. It is intended to announce the 2003 non-national road grant allocations, including allocations under the EU co-financed specific improvement grants scheme, early in 2003. All applications will be considered by the Department in coming weeks.

The Dáil adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 26 November 2002.