Finian McGrath
Ceist:969 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Transport to detail the heights and the extra cost of the Dublin Port tunnel. [21369/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 29 September 2004
Ceisteanna (786)
Freagraí scríofa
The position in relation to the height of the tunnel is that my Department appointed consultants to review the feasibility, safety implications and cost of raising the height of the Dublin Port tunnel. They were requested to review a range of options for increasing the operational height of the tunnel, their feasibility, having regard to the state of implementation of the current design and build contract and the likely additional costs and impact on the project completion date.
Having reviewed the findings of the report further information was sought from the NRA pertaining to its conclusions in particular in relation to the costs should the tunnel height be increased. As a result, the contractors were requested to provide a fixed price cost for the work involved. A quotation was received from the contractors and is currently under consideration with a view to making a final decision as soon as possible. When this matter has been brought to a conclusion I will place the relevant documentation in the public arena.
The contract for the port tunnel, which is a design and build contract, was awarded in December 2000 in the sum of €448 million. At that time when land acquisition, construction supervision etc. were included it was anticipated that the all-in cost including construction, would be in the region of €580 million. The construction period will extend to quarter three or quarter four 2005, and allowing for the operation of the price variation clause over that five year period, it is currently estimated that the final outturn cost, including price variation, will be in the region of €715 million, current prices. The cost increase between the all-in cost at 2001 prices and the all-in cost prices in 2004 is attributable to the price variation clause which takes account of construction cost inflation over the period concerned including both the costs of labour and materials.