Written answers

Tuesday, 8 November 2005

Department of Transport

National Development Plan

8:00 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which the projects identified in the economic and social infrastructure element of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 have been completed; the cost of the elements that have been completed; the way in which this compared to the original assessment of their cost; the elements and their associated cost which have been completed by way of PPP. [32571/05]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which projects identified in the economic and social infrastructure element of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 have yet to be completed; the expenditure to date on these elements; the expected cost of completing them; the way in which the projected cost at completion compares with the original projection; the elements and their associated cost which have been completed by way of PPP; and the projected expenditures and years in which they will be incurred to complete the remaining projects. [32574/05]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together.

The economic and social infrastructure operational programme, ESIOP, is one of six main operational programmes in the National Development Plan, Community Support Framework for Ireland 2000-2006.

The ESIOP provides for total investment of over €26 billion under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 in six main priorities: national roads; public transport; environmental infrastructure; sustainable energy; social and affordable housing; and health facilities. Of the total investment, the EU is providing €1.6 billion through the Structural and Cohesion Funds, the bulk of which, €1.04 billion, is from the European Regional Development Fund.

The original investment envisaged under the programme is:

Sectorâ'¬ millions
National Roads 6,748
Public Transport 3,051
Environmental Infrastructure 3,853
Sustainable Energy 223
Housing 9,108
Health Facilities 3,036
Total 26,019

The implementation of the programme is monitored in accordance with the provisions of the EU Structural Funds regulations. The managing authority for the programme is the Department of Transport.

Monitoring takes place at programme, priority and measure levels. Implementing Departments and agencies are required to prepare and make reports of financial and physical progress at priority and measure levels twice yearly, through the ESIOP managing authority, to a high level monitoring committee, chaired by the Department, which includes representatives of the implementing Departments and agencies, the European Commission, the regional assemblies and the social partners. The managing authority, in turn, makes a report twice yearly, at programme and priority level, to the over-arching NDP community social fund monitoring committee chaired by the Department of Finance.

The most recent meeting of the ESIOP monitoring committee which took place on Friday, 28 October 2005 considered progress up to 30 June 2005. The figures available indicate that cumulative overall expenditure on the programme from its inception on 1 January 2000 up to 30 June 2005 was €20,582.7 million. This means that 79% of the level of total investment envisaged under the programme was achieved by 30 June of this year.

Cumulative spend in the five and a half year period to 30 June 2005 at priority level was:

ESIOP Cumulative Expenditure 1/1/2000 to 30/06/05 by Priority.
Priority Total
â'¬million
National Roads 5,524.9
% of Forecast 99%
Public Transport 2,715.7
% of Forecast 98%
Environmental Infrastructure 2,569.7
% of Forecast 79%
Sustainable Energy 52.6
% of Forecast 29%
Housing 7,342.8
% of Forecast 96%
Health Facilities 2,374.8
% of Forecast 94%
Technical Assistance 2.2
ESIOP Total 20,582.7
% of Forecast 94%
Note: The forecast is for the six-year period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005.

The ESIOP was the subject of a mid-term evaluation in 2003 which resulted in some re-allocation of monies between priorities. In recognition of performance up to that time, the European Commission decided to allocate the performance reserve for Ireland, €134 million to the ESIOP. An update evaluation of the ESIOP was recently carried out in compliance with the relevant EU regulations. The report of that evaluation, by Indecon, was presented at the most recent meeting of the ESIOP monitoring committee on 28 October 2005.

The report will be available on the Department's website shortly and a copy will be provided directly to the Deputy. The overall conclusions were that the significant investment of Exchequer and ERDF funding to date has led to notable achievements and improvements in physical infrastructure. Some of the main highlights include: 35% of the major inter-urban road network is complete to the required standard and given work in progress this should rise to 50% by 2007; there is significant work on other parts of the road network with the percentage level service D on other national primary routes equalling 90%; capacity on the DART and other suburban rail in Dublin has increased significantly; the two LUAS lines are completed adding an additional 12,500 peak morning capacity; Dublin Bus capacity has been enhanced and there have also been improvements in the QBC network; the rail safety programme has renewed 528.7 km of track and undertaken significant other enhancement works; 67 new mainline carriages have been purchased which will lead to further improvements in inter-city rail services; there has been significant progress in enhancing the water and waste water infrastructure with reductions in pollution and enhanced compliance with the water quality directives; 89 waste water schemes with a population equivalent of over 130,000 have been funded by the ESIOP. By 30 June 2005, €306 million of private finance had been provided by the private sector to the national roads PPP programme.

I gave a considerable amount of detail on capital projects for which my Department has responsibility in response to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 101 and 259 on 19 October 2005.

The provision of information on specific projects in the health and environment areas is a matter for the Ministers responsible for these Departments.

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