Speech by the Minister for Transport at the 2008 National Roads Programme Allocations

Date: 25 January 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us here today as we announce details of the 2008 National Road Programme allocations.

Our national road network is transforming before our eyes. It is difficult to travel between any town, village or city in Ireland without seeing road works or new, upgraded roads en route. Everyone is impatient for change. We all want better roads, delivered faster with minimum disruption.

Believe me. I want that too. After decades of under investment in our transport infrastructure we're finally catching up. We're delivering more and better roads faster than ever before.

Under Transport 21 Government planned for the future and made over €34 billion available for new roads and improved public transport up to 2015. In 2008 alone we will spend €1.68 billion or €140 million a month - on the National Roads Programme. Today's announcement outlines in detail how this funding will finance 434 individual road projects throughout the country.

Communities right across the country are set to benefit from road investment this year.

Why are we doing this? Simple. Because

(a) road users deserve safer, better roads

and

(b) a world class economy demands world class road infrastructure.

Our road building focus in 2008 will be twofold:

On continuing the significant progress towards completing the major Inter Urban Routes between Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. (We already finished the new Dublin Belfast inter urban route last year).

and

On upgrading other key national routes right around the country (the appendices in your press pack will provide you with more details on these).

Over 85% of the major inter urban routes are already complete or under construction. By 2010 we will have a world class motorway linking Dublin to Galway, Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Belfast. This network, criss-crossing the country will connect communities, improve the quality of life for all and free up towns and cities from choking traffic.

By investing in the quality of our national road network we are making our roads safer and our economy more competitive. High quality dual carriageways and motorways are proven to be seven times safer than the roads they replace. By opening over 100km of new roads in 2008 we will save countless lives and give people back precious time by slashing journey times.

2008 will be another excellent year for those involved in road building and for the communities who are set to benefit from them. This year the NRA will be busier than ever.

But being busy is what makes the NRA thrive. This year I want to see them continue to do what they do best deliver better roads on time and in budget. In 2007 all road building projects were completed by the NRA on average 6 months ahead of schedule. That's no accident. It's because of rigorous project management and dedicated hard work by NRA staff . The funding announced today will, I am sure, help to maintain this frenetic pace of road building work into 2008.

This work of talented dedicated road builders is helping to secure our economic future. A top class road network will serve this country well long into the future. Today we are seeing the difference that our investment is making to people and business right across the country. We can see where we are headed. Let the work continue &&.

Thank You