Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Dooley is well able to speak on his own behalf.

I appreciate that some fascinating, imaginative and constructive work has been done in many road projects. The M50 upgrade is a case in point, while the Red Cow interchange is a fine example of well designed infrastructure that works well. Many of those who drove past the construction site in the past two and a half years did not believe the interchange would be completed. The Dublin Port tunnel has also been opened and, more recently, a fantastic bridge was completed over the River Suir in Waterford city, upstream from where I live.

In the few minutes available to me, I propose to raise several concerns about the accountability to the Oireachtas of the National Roads Authority and its senior officials. In March last, when Mr. Michael Egan and Mr. Martin Fagan of the NRA appeared before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to discuss compulsory purchase orders, I extended a céad míle fáilte to them and complimented the National Road Authority on undertaking the most extensive roads improvement programme in the history of the State. I also noted the benefits of this work, which include reduced travel times, safer roads and improved access to the regions, all of which have important social and economic benefits.

I remain severely critical, however, of certain aspects of the various stages of major road construction projects, namely, construction studies, route selection options, preferred route selection and compulsory purchase orders. I reiterate that the Department of Transport must make serious changes to the legislation under which the National Roads Authority operates. A statutory provision must be introduced to compel the National Roads Authority to make up-front payments of up to 75% of the total compensation payable on the date of the publication of the compulsory purchase order. Payments should not be made years later - perhaps following arbitration - when the road has been built and everyone else has been paid. Members of the public often enjoy the benefits of a road before landowners, home owners and families have been compensated. A mechanism should be introduced to require that 50% and possibly 75% of the total compensation payable should be paid up front. It is a form of highway robbery to compulsory acquire land without paying for it.

I am also critical of the enormous discrepancies in the price paid per acre for land acquired under compulsory purchase orders. I condemn the practice engaged in by the National Roads Authority and local authorities of employing expensive teams of consultants. While I accept the expertise of consultants is necessary, an industry has evolved in which consultants tout for business and agencies negotiate on behalf of the families affected. This system is wrong and does not result in the desired outcomes.

Many families and communities who are severely affected by road schemes have been ignored and mistreated by the NRA and local authorities. One might be badly affected even if none of one's property is taken by a compulsory purchase order because one might live ten feet away. There can significant inconvenience as a result of a road severing the community. The construction process, which may take a number of years, may also cause major inconvenience and one may not be respected and may be regarded as persona non grata. When a compulsory purchase order is executed, everybody inside its lines is dealt with but the families and ordinary people who live outside the line are also badly affected.

Local authorities must be made more accountable during all stages of the process. Construction studies, route selection, preferred route selection, compulsory purchase orders, notice to treat and the construction process encompasses a wide area and have long-term effects on families and communities. There must be an in-built mechanism to enable the necessary changes to be made to the layout during and after the completion of the road works schemes when obvious problems or inadequacies arise. It may not be possible to complete what has been designed and planned. Changes to and tweaking of plans are necessary but there must be a mechanism to allow people to be consulted on and involved in the process.

Some money has been very well spent, but questions remain to be answered on the significant amount which has been very badly spent or wasted. Transparent and accountable procedures should be in place and people should be held accountable when mistakes are made and money is wasted. I often wonder why the NRA was set up as it seems to be another quango to distance the elected and appointed Ministers from the democratic process. Deputies cannot get answers within a reasonable timeframe and questions to the Minister are usually passed to the NRA for reply. A pass the issue approach is taken by county councils and the NRA on matters and it is not good enough. Ministers must come to the House and reply to questions.

There is a new motorway from Cork to Dublin which is a fine project and a much safer road. I was chairperson of the county council when the project was decided upon and signed all the compulsory purchase orders. I also signed a contract, which was hailed as one of the best at the time and was totally modern, for a €260 million fixed price project to be delivered at a certain time and within budget, with penalty clauses if this did not happen. When I attended the sod-turning ceremony two years later when the project had been under way for a couple of months, I nearly fell off my chair when the then chairman of the council said the project price was €460 million.

The cost of the project increased by €200 million within 18 or 19 months. The project was supposed to operate within the contract to which I signed my name. I am not happy about the situation and will not be unless I get proper answers. The road was opened some time ago and I refused to attend the official opening because I got no answers to the questions I asked. At that time, the cost of the road had increased by another €60 million or €70 million but there was a fanfare on the day and it was claimed the road was built within budget and on time, and in accordance with the new type of contract which was signed. Clearly, there were major discrepancies which is not good enough and people must be made more accountable to public representatives such as myself and to the public.

Large land banks near the new M8 were acquired and are now surplus to requirements. I cannot understand why it was necessary to do that. Vast areas of land are now left around the outside parameters of roads. There is a wide open area where transient traders have moved in and cannot be shifted. There are 40 acres of land between Cashel and Mitchelstown which were subject to a compulsory purchase order at very substantial cost, some of which must still be paid for, and which are now left as wasteland. Weeds of all kinds are growing there and transient traders, who do not pay rates or taxes, are taking business from ordinary businesspeople. There are significant questions to be answered. I will support the Government amendment to this motion. I have major issues which I will always state and maintain.

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