Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate a matter of major national and local importance, namely, why the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, on the basis of information available to him from monitoring committee reports, including assessments of continuing spend under the national development plan, expects the original forecasts for Exchequer and EU spending in the BMW region will have been realised in full by the end of the programme period in six weeks' time while there remains a €3.75 billion underspend, with a €500 million underspend on roads. On the question of motorways and dual carriageways planned for 2010, no mention is made of the N5, N26, N4, N2, N14 and N3, and only 20% of EU co-funded projects can be financed beyond 2006.

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