Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

——and myself have consistently indicated that, in the interest of achieving best value for money for the taxpayer, we will not release prematurely the costs of Transport 21 projects. My position on this remains unchanged. However, it is my intention to publish full information on the business case for major projects and the factors taken into account in making decisions on them in due course. This will be done when there is no danger that it will have a negative impact on the State's ability to get best value for money through the public procurement process. The basis for the Government decision will be transparent but it will be handled in such a way as to avoid compromising the State's commercial interest and, by extension, the interests of taxpayers who are paying for this.

All in all, I am satisfied with the progress made to date in Transport 21, while acknowledging that there have been some delays for valid and unavoidable reasons. The ten-year programme is on target to deliver the projects identified. I will continue to ensure that every effort is made to complete projects in the shortest possible timeframe. The country needs this infrastructure quickly.

Transport 21 is not just about building new roads or public transport infrastructure. It is about improving the quality of life of our citizens and reducing commuter and travel times. Achieving these aims will be the main benefits of Transport 21. I look forward to reporting to the House and the Committee on Transport on a regular basis on the progress we achieve.

See this speech in context