Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

To be helpful to Deputy Durkan, this group is not dealing with this matter. However, a ministerial group dealing with energy is working on the biofuel, biomass and bioenergy issues.

In answer to Deputy Rabbitte's question on the M50, there will be three or four phases. I have attended meetings on this issue. Work has commenced on phase one. Phase two is to be a public private partnership project and will start at Easter time, I believe. Phase three consists of a short link of 3.2 km on the plaza end of the West Link. It is estimated this work will take about two years and should be finished in 2008. I understand there are five or six global companies who can undertake the barrier-free tolling initiative and discussions have commenced with these companies. It is the view that all the projects must be undertaken together. More chaos will be created if the barrier is removed in isolation. The N3, N4 and N7 routes will need to be done at the same time. It is projected there will be barrier-free tolling in two years' time, in the third quarter of 2008. It is based on all the work on the M50 being completed within a four year period which is 2010. The barrier-free element of the project will be introduced in 2008. Any opening in the intervening time, considering the ongoing road works, would only create more difficulties. It might seem the easy solution, but it is not so. There should be a significant improvement in the two-year period but it is a four-year contract for the whole project consisting of four phases.

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