Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very good to be here with all the members this morning. I acknowledge that the issues we are discussing today are very important to members, their constituents, the country in general and all the people on the island.

I will start by referring to the projects the Chairman alluded to, namely, the N2, A5, N14 and N15 projects. I am fully aware that the financial crisis has had a major impact on capital investment in roads and public transport. This was unavoidable to get the country’s public finances back on track. It has meant, however, that it has not been possible to make progress on a range of projects, and the reality is that budgets will continue to be constrained for some years to come. From a road safety perspective, the primary focus needs to be road maintenance and renewal rather than new projects. In this context, the only major road projects going to construction at present are those included in the 2012 Government infrastructure stimulus programme. However, I hope that over time the road budget can be restored to facilitate projects that can and will support economic development.

The proposed N2 upgrade project is one of the projects that has had to be suspended. Pending progress on the scheme for the road from Clontibret to the Border, phased improvement work is being undertaken by the National Roads Authority on the existing N2 national primary road between Monaghan town and Emyvale village to provide interim road safety and travel quality improvements.

On the A5, implementation of the upgrade project is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland authorities.

The quashing by the High Court in 2013 of the Minister for Regional Development's approval for the construction of two sections of the road has resulted in significant delay. The Northern Ireland authorities have been working hard on the additional evaluations needed in respect of the project. They have completed public consultation exercises on four reports intended to address impacts on all areas with environmental designations, including special areas of conservation, special protection areas and Ramsar sites, together with proposed mitigation measures. I understand that once consideration of the outcome of the public consultation on these reports is completed, the Department intends to initiate a public consultation process on an updated environmental statement, draft vesting order and the draft direction order for the scheme. It is possible that this will be followed by a new public inquiry regarding the scheme. However, this will be a matter for decision by the Northern authorities. I will continue to liaise with my northern colleagues on the project through the transport sector of the North-South Ministerial Council. The next meeting of the council is scheduled for April this year. In Donegal the N14-N15 proposed link to the upgraded A5 has planning approval and could be progressed, subject to the availability of funding, once the connecting part of the A5 is upgraded.

Turning to the Narrow Water bridge, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority. My predecessor, Deputy Varadkar, and the Government were very disappointed that the outcome of the Narrow Water Bridge tender process in 2013 was a doubling of the initial costs budgeted for by the project partners for the construction of the bridge and that, as a result, it did not prove possible to proceed with the project under the INTERREG IVA programme.

I had a meeting last year with officials from Louth County Council to discuss a possible alternative plan being considered by the local authority to advance the Narrow Water Bridge project. At that meeting I indicated that it was for Louth County Council and other stakeholders to develop the project proposal further. As the project, as outlined to me, would cost in excess of €50 million, it is necessary for a viable project proposal that will meet project appraisal criteria to be developed and for the project partners to identify sources of funding for a revised project. In practical terms such a project would require support from both sides of the Border.

As I indicated earlier, my Department continues to operate under a very constrained budget with the primary focus on repair and renewal of regional and local roads rather than new projects. I hope to be able to come to the committee with better news in the future, as our economy continues to recover, but I am confident that whatever progress can be made, given our current constraints, is being made. I look forward to hearing the contributions from the members.