Mr. Paul Moran:

It is worth mentioning how crucial the Dunkettle location is to Cork because it is the key crossing point for everything coming from the north and the east. We were aware from flooding events and so on of the disruption the project would have on the scheme. We deliberately choose the NEC type contract, which is a two-stage contract, because stage 1 allows us get a contractor developed design. It is about traffic management. The way we manage the traffic on a daily basis, with 115,000 cars a day coming through the site, without shutting down Cork city and county for business is crucial. The two-stage process allowed us get that very valuable view from a contractor and de-risk certain aspects. If we did not do that and went out with a conventional type of tender, it could have resulted in significant additional cost. The two-stage process is primarily to take cognisance of the difficulty of the site, which has many constraints. It has major pharmaceutical employers in the area. There is a railway line and many environmental constraints and, as I said, it is a key node into the city.

In terms of the earlier work we had done on that interchange, we have funded work on the N40 previously. We had two interchanges - Bandon Road and Sarsfield Road - upgraded to grade separated junctions with side roads and difficult ground conditions. The costs we incurred on those fed into earlier estimates and we had good experience on that but in terms of getting a contractor's view on what is required, that is where the two-stage process pays dividends.