Trevor Sargent
Ceist:1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly in December 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34618/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 2 March 2005
Ceisteanna (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Enda Kenny
Ceist:2 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the outcome of his recent meeting with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2603/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:3 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly. [3500/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Ceist:4 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the outcome of his meeting with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly in December 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3648/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Joe Higgins
Ceist:5 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the December 2004 meeting with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly. [6513/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (65 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.
I met with representatives from the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly on 18 November 2004. The meeting allowed for useful discussion on issues of particular importance in the region. In general terms, these included progress on the implementation of the national development plan, especially by reference to the key objectives of more balanced regional development and the funding position of the region post-2006. My Department will remain in contact with the regional assembly and will keep me informed of any developments.
My question is not unlike my previous question. Did the Taoiseach indicate to the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly whether he would act on his 2002 commitment to provide a western rail corridor? Is that the current Government position or has it changed? There has been a change with regard to carbon tax, even though it was in the manifesto. Is the western rail corridor on line to be built?
The group probably raised the need for a spur link to Shannon Airport. Is that part of the thinking in terms of the western rail corridor? Given that the line is already in place, to a large extent, has the projected rise in population from 480,000 to 620,000 being served by the line been taken into account? Will the Government give a timeframe for its implementation?
The Deputy is aware of the study of the western rail corridor. The former Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, set up a group in conjunction with the western corridor group to conduct a full study which will be available in April. I am not sure whether that addresses the issue of Shannon, but I met members of the group a few months ago and the study certainly covers the full link of the 12 or 15 towns involved. The expert group which has carried out the professional study will produce its report in mid-April.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. The BMW region is given Objective One status for the purposes of making it a priority for infrastructure spend and decisiveness on the part of Government. The Taoiseach mentioned earlier that €1.2 billion is left aside for rail transport. I strongly support the western rail corridor. Over the past 25 years members of the Taoiseach's party at county council level have been very diligent, along with all parties, in retaining the land and line and that is of great value. I would like the Taoiseach to say that he supports the opening of the corridor from Sligo southwards. The engineers who do this tell me they could actually complete the business inside two years. Is that part of the Taoiseach's thinking regarding Sligo to Ennis? The survey only covers a particular section of that. The Government should give the matter its full support.
Does the Taoiseach have information on the spend or allocation to Knock Airport? It is of international size.
Questions of a detailed nature would be more appropriate to the line Minister.
I do not know whether the Ceann Comhairle has had occasion to fly into Knock, which is in the heart of the BMW region.
The question does not arise.
Does the Government support the airport as a central part of infrastructure for the BMW region?
Was the issue of the N4 and N5 discussed with the Taoiseach and his delegation? There was a certain development in that regard.
That is a separate question for the Minister for Transport.
The N4 and N5 are the main roads to the west. The section through Ráth Cruachán near Tulsk presents a problem in terms of archaeology.
There is €640 million of an underspend in the BMW region. Can the Taoiseach spur on the appropriate Ministers to make decisions where projects are ready to proceed?
I will try to answer all those questions, although I may not have all the details. I am supportive of the western rail corridor but where it starts and finishes depends on the studies that are being undertaken.
It is good to hear that.
It would make sense to use the existing rail lines but we will have to await the completion of the studies in order to ascertain the viability of the various issues. When I met representatives of the groups involved, they told me they knew there were issues concerning the viability of all the lines. It is important to be supportive of it. As we all know, rail makes enormous sense and that is why we have been putting a huge amount of resources into railway infrastructure.
The purpose of the ten-year envelope is to try to get order into the planning process. We are spending twice the EU average on infrastructure and have argued strongly about the need for this with the European Commission. We will do so again in the next round, even though we will probably get far less money. We had underspends for decades and nobody solved them. I have argued that the country did not have the money at the time and I have given the figures to the European Commission. While we are spending more now, we need to do so.
We are not getting the required level of private sector investment in these projects. They will argue all day about what would happen if the public-private partnership system was easier to implement. To be frank, however, having listened to all the arguments, I do not think they want to get into PPPs. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, is looking at this matter afresh to see what other way we can approach it. Even in the United Kingdom they are pulling back on public-private partnerships. With less money from the European Union and less private sector involvement — unless they change their attitude to these issues — the State will have to fund this. The ten-year programme makes logical sense and obviously within that programme there will be priorities. The necessary infrastructure includes railways and linking roads to the main towns, including those in the west.
We are endeavouring to finish some of the very big infrastructural projects which will release funds. We are getting very close to the end of the Dublin to the Border route on the Dundalk line, which will be totally finished at Easter. The Dundalk by-pass at Ballymascanlon is underway. The Dublin Port tunnel will finish around Christmas, although it may go into early 2006 for testing. However, we are on the last year of big expenditure for that project. The same is the case with the road going south. As the Minister, Deputy Cowen, said, some of those resources should then be released. That is why the decisions on half the projects this year are in the BMW region — some seven of the 12 projects.
Nine.
Nine of the 12 projects are in the west. It was a positive decision to do that. As the Deputy knows, we have difficulties on a few of the other major projects we wanted to start because of environmental issues but rather than arguing about them we will invest moneys in other areas. That is the plan. The ten-year programme certainly allows us to make progress.
As we finish some major road projects on the east coast, €1.4 billion is being spent on infrastructural resources for roads this year alone. As everyone can see, therefore, a huge investment is being made in this catch-up phase.
We have now outlined what roads are to be completed this year, which will be started, which are in the final stages of tendering and which are at the planning and development phase, including compulsory purchase orders. I admit it has taken a few years to get to this stage. I have chaired the relevant committee and it has not always been easy to bring order to the process. However, there is now a clear structure within the Departments, the National Roads Authority and the local authorities. The planning process has been outlined in an ordered way right up to 2015.
It is ongoing.
The challenge for the State is to keep such expenditure at 5% to 6% of GDP. Recently, the engineers said that regardless of what happens to the economy we should be able to do that. I do not think any politician — certainly not myself, or any Taoiseach — would make that claim. If we can do it, however, there is agreement that in 2015 we could have a very modern system. It will have to continue in that order. I have put much effort in that committee into getting a long-term, ordered plan, otherwise we would just keep ticking away and would never get there in anybody's lifetime. There is now a good structure in place in the Department, the National Roads Authority and the local authorities, which communicate and work together, which is a good system.
The Taoiseach forgot to mention the central infrastructural element, which is Knock Airport where there are serious plans for expansion. I know the airport has received some money but the Taoiseach might comment on that matter. It is close to everybody's heart in the sense that it provides real potential for future development.
We have given Knock Airport €3 million which is part of what it requires. It is the biggest slice that any such project has received, although I know the airport is seeking more. I have spoken to the airport's representatives twice in the past six months. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, has provided the allocation of €3 million. I agree that the potential is there. It is the only investment opportunity to get a really good strategic development in that area. When the IDA meets with business groups, they all mention Knock Airport as a key facility. It is obviously correct to support the airport's ongoing development given its potential for attracting companies to the region. I do not know what overall expenditure the airport's representatives are seeking but they have been given €3 million to get on with some of the works they want to undertake.
I wish to revert to some of the points that have been raised. Currently, the Taoiseach, in common with the rest of us in the House, is experiencing the problems that have come with the explosion of development in Dublin, which has spilled over into neighbouring counties. There is a serious grievance at the other end of the country about the degree of underspending of such moneys as have been allocated. I want to ask the Taoiseach specifically about the western rail corridor. I heard the Taoiseach make positive noises, as the previous Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, did also. I have not noticed the current Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, do so yet, although he may have made positive noises. The people who are concerned about this matter want to see something tangible at this stage. They want to know if there is any reality behind the positive noises. Where are the reports that have been undertaken? In the Government's view, where is the presentation by the group lobbying for the western rail corridor deficient, if it is deficient? That group has been in existence for some time. Are there particular aspects of the presentation that need to be firmed up before a decision will be made? When is it likely that a decision will be made, albeit a partial decision on a phased basis? Will the Taoiseach indicate an approximate schedule for such a decision?
I am advised that the report by the chairman will be ready in April. The Minister, Deputy Cullen, tells me he believes it will be in early April. We have been supportive of this all the way through. The report is to identify how it can best be achieved. There will probably be arguments about the viability of where the western rail corridor starts and ends. I have heard the arguments about whether Sligo is the best location, as Deputy Kenny said, but I am not an expert in such matters. As much as we can, it makes sense to support and engage in what is viable, based on expert advice. The finances for it are already with the Department and, from presentations we have received, I know it will be part of the ten-year rail plan. Therefore, provision has already been made for it. What is not clear from the discussions is where they should start, where it is viable and where it is not viable. It has been stated that technically the way to return to a proper rail link in the west is to proceed on a phased basis. I accept the Deputy is correct. I have not heard anybody being negative about the concept in the presentations I have heard in recent years. The only argument has been about where, when and what adds up. There is a real opportunity to get it done on a phased basis. The report which is due some time before the summer will come back with recommendations from the Department to the committee and then we will have to make a decision.
Will the Taoiseach speak in general about the current state of the decentralisation programme? A number of those towns were due to benefit from some element of decentralisation. Will they have to wait a while longer than was envisaged in the precipitative announcement by the former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, or is it that some of them are off the map entirely?
It would be more appropriate to table detailed questions to the Minister.
It is a general question.
Generally the policy is that 10,300 public servants will move to the 50-plus locations in 24 counties. The process will take longer than originally envisaged. The OPW and the group working on decentralisation have divided the move into three blocks. One block will move with the greatest speed. Regarding the second block, in some areas they are down to a number of sites and locations in terms of building offices. The third block is further back. They have not been able to advance it.
The decentralisation group will make its second report some time in spring. The end of April was the date that was originally agreed. I presume that will not change because of the difficulties with the chairman. That was the date it was working towards and I cannot see why it cannot be achieved. The third category is not off the map but clearly it will take longer to complete that phase.
I note from the Taoiseach's earlier reply to this series of questions that he has agreed that the single biggest issue of concern to people in the BMW region is infrastructure in all its aspects. Can I deduce from what the Taoiseach said that he accepts that people in our region are rightly concerned that despite Objective One status, the promised peace dividend and the establishment of a regional assembly that the entire region, especially the Border counties, feel they are being left far behind the east and the south of the island in terms of infrastructural development?
Will the Taoiseach advise what steps he is prepared to take? He indicated some intent of redressing the imbalance in terms of major projects to be undertaken. Will he outline what further steps he is prepared to take to address this imbalance to ensure the Border counties, the midlands and the west will get their fair share, not only on a continuum but in terms of the catch-up and what is overdue in addressing the imbalance in investment that has taken place over a considerable period? What action will the Taoiseach take to remedy it and will the Government instruct, advise or encourage the NRA to ensure that in its particular area of responsibility projects earmarked for the BMW region will be given priority in the coming years?
What steps can be taken to ensure that there is a significant improvement in the roll-out of broadband into the BMW region?
That question is more appropriate to the line Minister responsible for broadband.
It is an aspect of infrastructure no different to roads or rail. Broadband is infrastructure. Will the Taoiseach give an indication of the Government's intent in regard to addressing the deficiency in broadband access in the BMW region? Specifically in my county and that of the Ceann Comhairle, what is the status of the towns of Castleblaney and Clones?
That is a specific question for the line Minister.
Fair enough. That is a more specific question——
The Taoiseach cannot be expected to have details of every town.
——but I am using it as an example of Border towns that have known only disadvantage and marginalisation over many years. What does the Taoiseach propose to do?
The roll-out of broadband has intensified greatly in the 19 towns that were originally identified. It has continued into the next 38 towns and it will continue to be rolled out in up to 100 towns. There are also community broadband schemes. There has been an enormous acceleration of that activity. Eircom and others had reduced their programme because of losses on the 3G licence issue but they are back in again and have been working with the Minister. There has been a significant intensification of the roll-out programme, particularly into smaller towns. It is a positive story this year. The Minister gave a detailed statement in regard to it. The programme has been accelerated and is on track. A great deal of work was done last year. The same is true of this calendar year.
The economic and social infrastructure operational programme is large. There has been an enormous increase in the intended expenditure. Far more is being spent than was estimated. It is not a question of spending falling behind the projections.
We want to achieve balanced regional development and an equality of expenditure between the southern and eastern region and the BMW region. The BMW region fell behind because of a few major projects. I think I said nine out of 12 projects to Deputy Kenny earlier when I should have said nine out of 18. We have now given priority to the BMW region for starts last year, this year and next year. Once the three projects to which I referred earlier are completed we can continue to do more in the BMW region.
Some of the major projects elsewhere are of equal benefit to the BMW region. Deputy Kenny made the point earlier about some of the roads. The Kinnegad bypass, which is a major project, is of great benefit to everybody in the country, as is the case with most such developments. The Loughrea bypass is under way and the Ballinasloe bypass is in the final stages of planning.
Slane Bridge is another example.
Yes. Not to be parochial, which I know Deputy Ó Caoláin would never be——
It is in County Meath.
——his county is getting its fair share of bypasses.
We have waited a long time.
Deputy Crawford has been lobbying me for these and I have to deliver them to him.
Well done. Hear, hear.
Not to mention the number of bypasses on Cavan Hospital.
The rest of us lobbied the line Minister.
The Ceann Comhairle would not be against those projects either. Significant resources are being invested in these projects. The Exchequer has provided €1.8 billion more than was planned for these developments. While investment in the BMW region has been behind target in the first part of the plan, particularly in the roads programme, expenditure in the region has accelerated according to last year's figures. Eight new projects are about to commence between now and 1 May. We are beginning to see a catch-up in that investment. From the lists of roads issued last week Members can see how much has been achieved in that area.
I appreciate the work that has commenced on the N2. I hope it will continue. It is proof of what is needed in the BMW region. The Belturbet bypass on the N3 is urgently required.
Infrastructure is all about economic improvement for areas. The Border region has not yet received the jobs. If it were not for the IFI——
Does the Deputy have a question? I point out to Deputies that 63 questions have been tabled to the Taoiseach on the Order Paper. We have been dealing with five questions for the past half hour.
This is the first time I have had the chance to ask the Taoiseach a question. I am sorry for annoying the Ceann Comhairle.
I ask Members to confine themselves to questions of a general nature to the Taoiseach rather than detailed questions which should be asked of line Ministers. Otherwise, we will never get through the 63 questions.
Surely the Ceann Comhairle will not do down his constituency colleague.
If we got through the 63 questions, it would be the first time ever.
Does the Taoiseach accept that INTERREG, PEACE II and IFI funds are often used as in substitution rather than comprising additional money for the BMW region? This is why people in the BMW region are angry at the €640 million shortfall of spending in the region. Will the Taoiseach make every effort during the remainder of the period in which the is money available to make sure that the bias is in favour of the BMW and that the money allocated to it is actually spent?
Deputy Crawford is correct that the money should be additional rather than being used in substitution for other funds. The funds from PEACE II, INTERREG and the peace dividend were meant to be additional funds for the region. I had an interesting discussion the other day with an individual who complained to me about traffic in the Meath constituency. In his next breath he complained about decentralisation. I had great difficulty in relating to him that the decentralisation of jobs could solve the traffic problems. Unfortunately, he did not agree with me.
Did the Taoiseach get the vote?
I would probably not have got it anyway. It was an interesting discussion when one considers the logic of a public servant driving to the city and being against decentralisation.
The economic and social structure of the programme originally had a ratio of 27:73; that of employment in human resources development was 29:71; the productive sector was 36:64 and for technical assistance the ratio was 38:62. Under the PEACE II programme, all the funds went to the BMW region. The actual figures for the ratio at the mid-point were 22:78, which indicates that the Border region slipped 5%. The ratio for employment was 29:71, which figure was planned and on target. The productive sector ratio was 24:76, which represented the largest drop. However, the other ratios were all on target. Sometimes the position is put that all the ratios fell behind. I accept there are areas in which they did, but not to the extent suggested.
It must have moved to Louth or Strangford.
It moved around the areas.
Last Monday, the additional contract was signed for the Dundalk-Newry road and the continuation of the M1 which, I hope, will develop further. All the economic analysis indicates that business in the Border region is still only 25% to 30% of what it would be between two regions if it had not been for the conflicts of the past. Border Deputies know better than I that business investors have continually stated that the quality of the transport network presented them with problems. However, the opposite is now the case because, as Deputies know, the journey time between Dublin and Belfast is much shorter, even keeping well within the law. This will be improved further after the Ballymascanlon and Dundalk bypasses are complete. The contract for the M1 into Newry was also signed the other day, the completion of which will make an enormous difference. In the normal course of investment, this should represent a major improvement, as was stated to me in a recent meeting with the chamber of commerce in Dundalk and with the Newry and Mourne chamber of commerce late last year. They all state that these developments will lead to greater investment and I hope they do.
I accept Deputy Crawford's point that Monaghan has for a long time relied on its indigenous industries of furniture, mushrooms and so on and has not received the kind of inward investment that would have made a difference. However, the difference in prices and travel times on that road should make an enormous difference and I hope that comes to pass. It now represents some of the country's best infrastructure.
I will take two very brief questions and I ask Deputies to be brief.
I realise this question will require more attention from the Minister for Transport. However, in regard to his discussions with the BMW regional assembly, will the Taoiseach inform the House whether the Government is willing to progress a development whereby a rail line might be built alongside a new road being constructed, for example, between Sligo and Bundoran, in order to take advantage of the reservation acquisition there? Opportunities such as this may arise and could form part of an ongoing plan. Given the congestion in Galway, Sligo and so on which adversely affects 85% of businesses, is it envisaged that will we make progress in this manner?
As the Deputy correctly anticipated, the question is more appropriate to the line Minister.
I am seeking to take advantage of the fact that the line Minister is sitting beside the Taoiseach.
Given that all the major Gaeltacht areas, namely, Mayo, Donegal and Galway, are within the BMW region, is the Taoiseach aware that the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has signed the order for the Údarás na Gaeltachta election on Friday, which has disadvantaged a large number of people?
That does not arise on this series of questions.
It arises very seriously within the Gaeltacht area.
I suggest the Deputy submits a question or finds another way of raising the issue.
The Minister is in the House and he can reply if he likes. The issue arises in the Gaeltacht areas in which, only two days after the order was signed, hundreds of postal votes were disallowed in Galway yesterday despite the fact that two working days had not elapsed between the order and the election.
The Deputy has made his point. I asked for a brief question. As I pointed out, 63 questions have been tabled to the Taoiseach. If we move through the questions at the rate we are today, it will take ten weeks to go through them all.
In reply to Deputy Sargent, we are committed to infrastructure in the west, whether that involves road or rail, but the projects must be viable. It is one thing to construct rail lines but they must be viable. Rail is already a huge loss-maker, which one must accept because it is a good transport system. I am not aware of the example to which the Deputy referred but one cannot construct such lines unless there is at least a reasonable flow, otherwise they would become very costly. However, where there is a reasonable flow that is a different matter.