Dáil debates

Thursday, 26 March 2009

4:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I deplore the Government decision to halt the building of 78 major road schemes, including the N2 Dublin to Derry primary route from Clontibret, County Monaghan, to the border with County Tyrone. This involves the essential bypass of the village of Emyvale, which is vital primarily for safety reasons, as the volume of traffic passing along the 8 km stretch between Monaghan town and the Border at Moy Bridge through the village remains life threatening.

This latest roads debacle is another example of the gross mismanagement of Fianna Fáil-led Governments over the past decade and more. Through the early years of the Celtic tiger, the Government presided over a scandalous situation where contractors for major roads were allowed to run hugely over budget and well over time at massive expense to the State. There clearly was a massive rip-off by some of those so engaged. Eventually the Government got its act together to some extent and major road projects were finally required to be completed on time and on tighter budgets, following a massive uproar about the waste of public money. Now in straitened economic circumstances, the Government wants to halt these important and essential projects.

The news that the road scheme I have cited, along with 77 others, has been halted with immediate effect will be greeted with dismay by many people. The most disappointed, undoubtedly, will be the people of Monaghan town, north Monaghan and Emyvale who suffer daily the real dangers and many difficulties associated with traffic along this route. They have been promised by Government on several occasions that this work would be carried out. This road scheme is essential to the entire economy of County Monaghan and the wider Border region, as it is an essential piece of transport infrastructure. It must be remembered this is the crucial link between Derry and the north west and Dublin.

What presentation is this to the people of Six Counties, as we seek to encourage people of traditional Unionist outlook of the benefits of an all-Ireland approach to our shared needs in the future? The first introduction to many driving south is this outrageously dangerous stretch of roadway. Where stands the planned co-operation with the Department of the Environment in the Six Counties? The N2 upgrade was to link up with the A5 upgrade north of the Border and the Government was to make a significant contribution to the works in Counties Tyrone and Derry. Where stands that commitment?

The Government's decision not only in regard to this north Monaghan project but all 78 projects across the State is ill-conceived as it will lead directly to increased redundancies and will be another blow to the already depressed construction industry. I call on Fianna Fáil and the Green Party to reverse this retrograde move in the interest of motorist safety, in the first instance, with jobs also much to the fore of my thoughts as I make this case. It is not only a question of job creation but of sustaining those who still happen to have employment in roadmaking works around the country. These projects were a lifeline for many of those people who moved from one scheme to another. This is the most short-sighted proposition that this Government has put forward in recent times.

We do not need to close the door on infrastructural development but to realise that this is the optimum time for making real investment in infrastructure, recognising that money is cheap, that there is a readily available labour force willing to take up job opportunities in construction projects. Now is the time to move on with these development projects, to sustain jobs, create work and be in a position throughout the island to avail of new opportunities that will present themselves when the economy turns, sooner hopefully than many suggest. There has been a real failure to invest, particularly in the Border counties, the midlands and the west. This is another indication of the Government's failure to recognise the importance of the Border counties and the link to the northwest of the island, counties Donegal, Derry and Tyrone.

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and funding for the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Act 1993 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

The Deputy's suggestion that the roads programme has almost been cancelled is nonsense. This year, the Government provided a budget to the NRA of nearly €1.5 billion, one of the largest single annual investments in road infrastructure in the history of the State. This investment programme represents an average investment of €120 million per month in Ireland's national roads. That is a huge investment and allocation of resources. The Deputy's comments to the effect that the programme has been almost halted are nonsensical.

The figures I have quoted demonstrate this Government's commitment to providing for an infrastructure that will allow this country to take full advantage of the upturn in the economy when it comes. The current economic climate and the difficult and rapidly worsening position of the Exchequer have had an impact on the Government and the NRA's ambitious plans for the development of the road network that this country needs.

In view of the severe constraints on Exchequer finances, and in light of the forthcoming budget, the Government has now re-prioritised all national development plan expenditure for the rest of this year to concentrate on employment intensive projects. Every Department in receipt of NDP funding has been asked to ensure that no new contractual commitments are entered into before sign-off by the Department of Finance. This will allow the Government to have maximum discretion in future allocations. There is no halting of the programme. The Departments could work ahead on the programmes in the NDP but the situation has changed and it is important for the Department of Finance to be able to keep an eye on what is happening and approve individual sign-offs. That does not halt anything, that is good management, controlling the situation and keeping an eye on the resources and signing long-term contracts accordingly.

The NRA is so far advanced on the delivery of the major interurban routes, with all five routes now either under construction or open to traffic that most of its funds for 2009 are contractually committed. Approximately €50 million of the allocation is not committed. This money will finance a range of other projects around the country, including the Castleisland by-pass, which will be the only major construction project to start this year. That is the way the work has flowed because the continuing work, such as the M50 around Dublin, and other massive projects, is contractually tied. As soon as that work is finished next year the budget will be available for other projects to be approved.

My Department has written to the Department of Finance outlining the expenditure programmes its agencies propose to undertake for the remainder of 2009 and seeking that Department's sanction for those programmes. This includes the NRA's proposed programme of minor roadworks on both national primary and national secondary roads, as well as planning and preparatory works on a range of other projects.

I expect that the Department of Finance will respond to my Department about these matters following the budget on 7 April. The total capital provision for regional and local roads is €468 million of which approximately €95 million is already committed. The Department of Finance recently sanctioned expenditure of €150 million and local authorities will be advised immediately following the supplementary budget what projects can proceed under this restored sanction.

Further information is available about the roads under construction but it is not fair to say that 70 roads have been halted or anything like that. The Department of Finance wants to give specific approval for major contracts before they go out——

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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That is exactly what was said. That was the wording used.

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The situation has changed. There is a shortage of money. It is important that somebody at the top approves the contracts. That does not mean that work has been stopped. It is a case of the Department of Finance having an overview of the situation. Most of the money for this year is contractually tied so there are no cut-backs there. When the five major inter-urban routes are finished next year other routes will be lined up for approval.