Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Yesterday I raised the issue of the National Roads Authority and its policy of opposition to every application to develop service stations along national motorways. This policy was published in the authority's annual report and confirmed on radio yesterday by the head of corporate affairs, Mr. Michael Egan. Today we have learned that the NRA has had discussions on the provision of six service stations on one route and is in negotiations with private interests for the provision of rest and service facilities.

There is something seriously wrong with a national agency that states one day that it will object to the development of service stations and later on the same day states that it is in negotiation with private enterprise on the provision of such stations. It is a clear example of the fact that the NRA makes up its policies as it goes along. That is one of the reasons there are such enormous overruns in many of the estimates for the provision of infrastructure. I support Senator Dardis in his request that the Minister of Transport comes into the House to outline his direction to the NRA in the provision of infrastructure and allied services.