Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I call Senator Mary Ann O'Brien to speak and welcome the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to the House.

Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent)
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I thank the Minister for attending. I tabled a short question on the construction of a service area between exits 2 and 3 on the M9 motorway. The matter is of huge concern to local inhabitants. They are worried about the damage it may cause to their thriving businesses located near the motorway.

In previous years the roads budget has been cut. The Minister was under extreme pressure to address safety and accident blackspots but he has done a super job of maintaining the motorways and roads.

Dublin to Waterford as a one hour 55 minute journey. From Kill to the proposed location of the motorway service station is a 22 minute journey, Kill being the last service station. I drive that way most evenings. Simple questions asked of me every day in the local are what is it costing, why not locate it halfway down the motorway?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address this issue. As Minister for Transport. I have responsibility for overall funding in regard to 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. In particular, 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. In 2005, the then Minister for Transport asked the NRA to review its policy of not providing service areas on national roads, particularly on the expanding network of access-controlled motorways and dual carriageways. Arising from this review, the NRA decided to proceed with a programme to provide service areas across the major inter-urban network. The imperative to have service areas on the network arises as a result of a number of factors, including the EU working time directives which contain specific requirements for permissible driving and rest times for professional drivers, including hauliers; the significant road safety benefits of rest areas for other road users; and the trans European network for transport regulation, TEN-T policy. Much of our national road network is part of the THN-T network, and the regulations include specific requirements for parking and rest facilities on the core road network.

In October 2007, the NRA published its initial policy on the provision of service areas which incorporated a map showing indicative locations. In light of the funding constraints that emerged, the NRA scaled back on the development of service areas. At present, there are NRA service areas at three locations on the network. Two are located on the Ml, at Lusk and Castlehellingham on the way to Belfast, and one is on the Galway road at Enfield. All three of these service areas provide a high range of services, including parking, fuel and restaurant facilities. The current NRA service areas that are in operation were developed as PPP projects. Overall, the NRA has indicated a high level of public satisfaction with these service areas.

A second group of three service areas is currently under development. The one at Gorey is at construction stage as part of the N11 PPP scheme. The NRA has initiated advance works and advises that costs to date for the development of the service area on the M9 at Kilcullen are of the order of €2 million. I understand that the PPP tender to finance, build and operate this set of service areas is well advanced with good interest from the private sector. These service areas, which are located on one side with an overbridge, are due to be in operation at some stage between now and 2017. In light of developments at EU level, including the TEN-T regulations, the NRA published a revised draft policy document entitled NRA Service Areas on the National Road Network. This document sets out the background to the existing NRA motorway service area policy, the legal context, plans for future needs, proposed locations and so on. Members of the public, interested groups and industry were invited to review the document and participate in the public consultation process.

The needs analysis carried out by the authority determined an objective of locating online NRA service areas approximately every 45 to 60 km along the motorway and high quality dual carriageways which, in my view, is much more frequent than is required. In addition, the road safety strategy sets out the need for a total of five additional service areas, to be provided by 2020. That is more in line with my thinking. It is acknowledged that the revised motorway service area policy is a long-term plan and the full programme of proposed locations would involve a very substantial commitment at a time of severe budget constraints. The purpose of the public consultation was, therefore, to seek views, examine options and allow interested groups to submit suggestions and proposals. The public consultation process was managed by the NRA and the closing date for receipt of responses was 23 June. I understand that more than 20 submissions were received which will now be reviewed. My officials expect to meet with the NRA in the coming weeks to discuss the feedback from the public consultation. As I indicated in response to a Topical Issues debate raised by my colleague Deputy Martin Heydon in the Dáil on 12 June, I hope that private sector operators and developers have taken the opportunity presented by the public consultation process to indicate very clearly what they could offer, whether online or offline services, therefore saving taxpayers money.

As regards the M9, Dublin-Waterford motorway, a service area is needed. One can almost drive the entire length of the motorway without finding anywhere to stop for petrol or to take a break. Originally, there were to be two service areas, one at one third of the way along the route, at Kilcullen and one at about two thirds of the way along the route, at Paulstown, which is probably how the NRA came up with the location. Had there been a plan just for one, a location closer to the halfway point between Dublin and Waterford would have been chosen but that decision was made a long time ago.

Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent)
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I appreciate the Minister's response. I am aware I am almost asking the Minister to micro-manage his response because he kindly met me and some of the local representatives. As he said, it is sad that the NRA feels the frustration due to budget constraints. The distance between Kill and the Kilcullen service station is 23 km while the entire distance is 163 km, therefore it is on the close side. As the Minister said it was decided a long time ago and we will have to live with it. On the positive side, it will bring many jobs to the local area.