Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

This particular team is not dealing with the Cork Airport issue but it is being dealt with elsewhere. That matter is close to being resolved. If not formally resolved, the parameters of a resolution have been worked out on the structures for the airport so the matter should soon be wrapped up by the various boards. The team worked very effectively during the last few years. Originally we did not have cross-departmental structures but because of the size and scale of the projects the team has worked well. Deputy Rabbitte is correct in saying that most of its work is in ensuring that ongoing capital projects are dealt with efficiently and move through the system. It has done a good job during the past five years. Much of the effort between the various organisations, the National Roads Authority, local authorities and various other bodies, is due to the work done by this group of civil servants across the Departments. Because of the significant changes in design and build, the cost estimation and the new procurement arrangements, most of the major contracts come in under time and under budget. Of the recent contracts, the Naas Road contract came in on budget, but nearly all the others came in under budget and under time, with a significant number of months being knocked off the contract time. There is always the danger that difficulties will arise in complex areas such as the Dublin Port tunnel. Given that we have never built a tunnel of that magnitude it has been necessary to carry out various checks and many additional safety issues have arisen. Almost all the other projects have got on top of their estimations, timescales and planning. This team began its work in 1999, and since the start of 2000, 63 major projects have been finished, 25 are under construction this year and a large number of contracts are at various stages of planning for the next decade. In fairness to this particular group, it has done a very good job on major infrastructural projects.

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