Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Question Nos. 32 and 39 together.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a new procedure for answering oral questions by State bodies. The chief executive of every State funded body will be required to attend the relevant Oireachtas committee on a regular basis to answer oral parliamentary questions which can be submitted by any Member. There will also be a liability on State bodies to answer written questions within a specified number of Dáil sitting days.

Until these new procedures are designed and implemented, I have adopted a transitional arrangement for questions on issues which are the responsibility of bodies under the aegis of my Department. Rather than seeking to have these questions disallowed, as was previously the case, I have been referring them to the relevant bodies for direct reply and have asked the Deputies concerned to revert to my office if a reply has not been received within ten working days. The House will appreciate that this approach lends itself well to written questions. However, our procedures for oral questions allow for supplementary questioning and this is clearly not appropriate when the Minister is not responsible for the issue concerned. I suggest, therefore, that Deputies table such questions for written reply only as I clearly cannot deal with them in any detail in oral replies.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding for the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, including service areas, is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Section 54 of the Roads Act 1993 specifically provides for the National Roads Authority or a local authority to provide and-or operate service areas.

I have, therefore, referred the Deputies' questions to the National Roads Authority for direct reply. I ask them to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten working days. Given what I have outlined, I am not in a position to respond further.

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