Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)

I thank the Minister for his answer. He listed several projects, but the issue I wish to highlight is the underspend on national roads under the NDP. Figures from his Department to June 2006 indicate that spending is €700 million behind in the BMW region. His most recent figure was approximately €600 million. At that point, the south and east of the State had an overspend of €1.1 billion. That follows an underspend in the last NDP, which covered the period up to 2000. Some 7% or 9% of funding had been supposed to go to Clare, Connacht and Donegal, and the Western Development Commission confirmed that it had fallen to 4%.

We have therefore seen an underspend up to 2000 and a continuation of that trend up to 2006. I understand the money will be ring-fenced and spent. Of course it will be spent, but we will be playing catch-up while the south and east power ahead. They are already well ahead and we will be playing catch-up in 2007 and 2008, when those moneys should already have been spent. Despite the list of projects that the Minister had, which I accept are in place, we are still far behind, and the infrastructural gap will not be closed.

See this speech in context