Mr. Fred Barry:

Some of these positions may be required for a year or two at the most. The thinking is that in the longer run it is cheaper to do it that way. We are strong proponents of outsourcing work and using private sector contractors rather than having large in-house teams. However, we need to strike a balance in order not to have a project completely out of our control. I can state categorically that we have greatly reduced our staff numbers - as have local authorities - to reflect the changed situation.

Deputy O'Mahony asked about the schedule for the Gort to Tuam project. It had reached a very advanced tendering stage. We have lined up a preferred tenderer who would like to build the scheme. However, there is a funding problem. The scheme was put on hold some time ago because the money was not available to fund the State's side of the obligations. Last summer the Government's growth initiative announced that the Gort to Tuam project would be one of the projects to be funded. However, the funding is not yet in place. We understand that the funding is to come from the sale of State assets, although from our narrow perspective the source of the funding is immaterial. Once the funding is committed to a project, we are good to go, so to speak. Assuming the funding becomes available some time during next year, we expect to be able to commence construction within six months of the funding being in place. The funding commitment must be committed over many years because the PPP payments run for many years.

The Deputy also asked about lands frozen. I hope I covered that matter in the response to Deputy O'Donovan. On the question of road signage, it is not our intention to send people astray. We will examine that specific instance. Other Deputies make representations to the NRA on signage. These are always examined. We are certainly not infallible and if possible we will improve on existing signage.

On the point raised about kerbing on the Charlestown bypass, I am not aware of that problem so I am unable to respond to the Deputy as to the reason it was not dealt with immediately. A question was asked about the responsibilities of the NRA and the local authorities. This is a confusing issue which can be unclear at times. We believe we know our responsibilities. The local authorities which engage with us are aware of their responsibilities but not everyone in a local authority may understand the relationship. The NRA has certain responsibilities under the Roads Act but more responsibilities are devolved to local authorities. However, the Act does not cover every aspect of roads. Other authorities and powers derive from traffic regulations and other legislation and these give certain powers to local authorities. The local authorities are the roads authorities; the NRA has other responsibilities. I will not go into the details of the legislation because the NRA did not write it. I acknowledge it is confusing.

Deputy Walsh asked about the Galway city outer bypass and the European Court of Justice judgment. The planning application was submitted five years' ago. It is disappointing that it has taken so long to come to a resolution. We are expecting a decision from the European Court of Justice early in the new year. The oral hearing has been held. The Advocate-General will give his recommendation to the Court later this month.

At this stage we will not do much work on plan B. We have had conversations with Galway and with the Minister. We know what is involved if the Europa route is chosen. However, we will not begin anything until the decision is announced in the next few months. The delay in the Gort to Tuam route is because we are awaiting confirmation of funding.

I thank Deputy Colreavy for his kind words. The NRA is very aware that major investment in very large schemes some years' ago has meant that work was not carried out on some of the minor roads to any great degree. As the funding became tighter, the NRA, in partnership with the local authorities, set out to identify the 50 worst bends in the country to see if these could be fixed. Once these 50 are corrected, we hope to deal with the next 50 and so on. We intend to continue to make the local improvements which are so very necessary.

A question was asked about expenditure committed to road projects which cannot now proceed. I will describe the sequence of events for all road projects - including those already built and those to be built in the future. The NRA submits the planned project to An Bord Pleanála for approval. Once approval is granted the NRA or the local authority concerned must exercise the notice to treat which is the notice of the right to compulsory acquisition of the land within a limited period of that decision. We will very often acquire the land well in advance of the building of the road. If the NRA does not acquire the land, the power to do so lapses. In some cases, the NRA has land for years before the road is built and in other cases we acquire the land and begin to build the road immediately, depending on the funding situation. In the scheme of how roads are developed, I do not see any way that the NRA can avoid acquiring land well in advance of construction.

The NRA does not have large land banks around the country to allow for schemes which have no prospect of being built. Land has been acquired for schemes such as the New Ross bypass and the Enniscorthy bypass where progress stopped some time ago because of the funding situation. However, we will be returning to those schemes. Funding for those schemes may be available under the growth initiative. I do not foresee the NRA holding land where there is no longer any prospect of construction of a scheme.

I agree with the Deputy that there are gaps in route. There have been gaps in many of the long routes such as the road from Dublin to Cork, Limerick or Sligo. Sections of the road may be finished ahead of others. The difference in the case of the N4 is that there was a continuous flow of funding for the construction of the interurban routes to Cork, Waterford and Galway but we do not have a continuous flow of funding for the N4. The construction of the N4 would have followed the same pattern as the other routes if the funding situation had continued as it was. We would have built sections in sequence. I acknowledge the road needs fixing and some local improvements are currently underway at the very worst spots. These improvements are badly needed. I know this is not the ultimate answer but these improvements are designed to tide us over until such time as we have the money to do the full job.