Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I wish to deal specifically with the upgrade of the Limerick to Cork motorway, the M20. In his submission, Mr. Nolan referred to "the construction of additional projects and the planning of others, including the upgrade of the strategic connection between Cork and Limerick". I have raised this issue on numerous occasions in the Seanad with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross. As recently as 6 October I asked that the Minister would engage with Mr. Michael Nolan of TII to determine what work had been done on the previous M20 project which was suspended in November 2011. I wish to compliment the Minister and his officials, particularly Mr. Dominic Mullaney and Mr. Nolan from TII for their work in this regard.

I understand that the Minister has given approval to reactivate the planning process on the M20. In that context, I ask Mr. Nolan to elaborate on how the process will be reactivated, the various stages involved and the cost. My understanding is that it will cost in the order of €1 million. I very much welcome this initiative because the project was suspended for five years. It has now been given the green light and it is important that it gets moving prior to the mid-term review of the capital programme so that no time is lost. Over the next few months there will be re-engagement on the planning process to determine what was done up to November 2011 and work will begin on preparing a brief for the appointment of strategic consultants. I seek details from Mr. Nolan and from Mr. Mullaney and his departmental colleague Mr. O'Leary on how this process will work. I am delighted for Limerick and Cork that the M20 motorway is back on the live agenda again with TII and the Department. I am particularly interested in the timeframe involved. How long will it take to re-engage in the planning process and how much work will be done prior to the aforementioned mid-term review? What are the costs involved? I ask the witnesses to give an outline of how long a project like the M20 will take. Reference was made in communications to me to five stages, the first of which is the approval to commence the early planning activity, which will run to €1 million. The second is the approval to commence planning and design, which will run to between €12 million and €15 million. Next is the business case by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and then the approval to submit to An Bord Pleanála and purchase the land, which is estimated to cost €150 million to €180 million. The final stage is construction, which will cost in the region of €600 million.

I ask the witnesses to give the committee an outline of where we are at. This is very positive for the M20 project, which I have been working on for a long time with the Minister, the Department and Mr. Nolan from TII. I am looking for the specifics on progressing this vital infrastructural project for the development of the mid-west, southern and western regions as a counter pull to Dublin.