Prioritisation of NDP projects and details of Transport 21 projects

Date: 10 July 2008


Dáil Question No: 259, 286 & 271 To ask the Minister for Transport the transport projects that are not being prioritised in view of comments by An Taoiseach during Taoiseach's Questions on 2 July 2008 that the National Development Plan projects will be prioritised according to the potential return; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Fergus O'Dowd. To ask the Minister for Transport the target completion dates for each individual project in Transport 21; the estimated cost for each of these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Thomas P. Broughan. *To ask the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that projects under Transport 21 will be delivered to County Clare as outlined; his plans to review projects under Transport 21; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Pat Breen.

Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Noel Dempsey T.D.)

REPLY

I propose to take Questions 259, 286 and 271 together.

At the launch of Transport 21, the Government identified the programmes and projects in the national roads, public transport and regional airport sectors that it wished to see prioritised for implementation in the ten-year period from 2006-2015 within an overall capital provision of €34 billion. That objective has not changed.

Significant progress is being made on Transport 21 and a number of projects have been completed, are under construction or are well advanced in planning terms.

The value of the ten-year financial framework provided by Transport 21 is that it gives us flexibility to keep the programme under ongoing review and to make adjustments to that programme in an effective manner, taking account of all relevant factors. For example there have already been revisions to some completion dates because of changes to the scope of projects arising from public consultation, planning issues, procurement issues and archaeological difficulties.

Both my predecessor and I have consistently taken the view that, in the interest of the taxpayer and in ensuring that Transport 21 is achieved within budget, the cost of individual projects should not be released until the public procurement processes have been completed. The publication of such commercially sensitive information prior to the completion of the procurement process.