Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in regard to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. However, under the Roads Act 1993, the implementation of individual national road projects and the allocation of funding for the construction or maintenance of such projects are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

The construction of the Dublin Port tunnel project was procured by Dublin City Council and funded through the NRA. I understand from the NRA that the estimated final outturn cost of the tunnel remains at €751 million. The twofold purpose of the port tunnel and the heavy goods vehicles, HGV, management strategy which goes with it is to improve the flow of goods to and from Dublin Port and to remove heavy goods vehicles from the streets of the city. To date, good progress has been made on both of these objectives.

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