Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The repayments will be spread over a number of years. Some of the earlier projects had a repayment lifetime of 25 years while those for some of the later projects can be up to 40, 45 or even 50 years. We obtained approximately €2 billion from private sector investment in the roads system. It must be repaid over time. The discussion that will arise, certainly over the coming years, will concern whether it will be part of the normal Estimates process in the Vote of the Department of Transport or whether we should devise a mechanism whereby the money would be paid from the central Exchequer. This has not yet been decided. Either way, the money must be repaid. If it is to be paid by the Department of Transport, in the way repayments are made by the Departments of Education and Skills, and Health and Children, it must be provided for in the Estimates each year.

See this speech in context