Mr. Michael Nolan:

If we went for the same route without going through due diligence we would probably be turned back at the door of An Bord Pleanála. We have an option under last year’s Roads Act 2015 to have pre-application consultation with An Bord Pleanála. We engage with it through the local authorities. There is a process we must go through. We are not going to take the risk with such a strategic piece of network of being back in the High Court in five years’ time and being told at that stage to go back to first base. It is quite important to go through the process. Landholdings will be affected. We cannot go to An Bord Pleanála without going through the whole process and showing due diligence the whole way.

Senator O'Mahony mentioned Gort to Tuam. This is one of the biggest road projects ever in this country and probably in Europe. It is almost 60 km long and forms part of the Atlantic corridor. We have a really good set of delivery partners and the public private partnership, PPP, concessionaire in Roadbridge, Sisk, Lagan and Strabag. That scheme is going really well on the ground and is due to open in February 2018. I would be surprised if it does not open early, from what we have seen to date, unless we have a really bad summer or winter next year. All indications are that it will open by year end 2017.