Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Transport the way in which he intends to deal with the difficulties presented by Directive 2004/54/EC in respect of the Jack Lynch Tunnel. [16214/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Last week, I signed Regulations to implement EU Directive 2004/54/EC (Minimum Safety Requirements for Tunnels in the Trans-European Network.) The Regulations establish levels of technical provision that must be attained in all tunnels falling within the ambit of the Directive. It also establishes procedures and processes to govern the design, construction and operational phases of such tunnels.

The Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork is one of two tunnels in Ireland, the other being the Dublin Port Tunnel, that fall under the ambit of the Directive. The Jack Lynch Tunnel is of comparatively recent construction and was designed and built having regard to current modern standards in terms of tunnel safety. A detailed review on the Tunnel will be completed in the next few months in order to evaluate its compliance with the terms of the Directive. However, it is not anticipated that significant modifications will be required.

Because this is an existing tunnel already in operation, the Directive provides that Member States have 30 months from the date of entry into force of the Directive, i.e. until October 2006, to carry out such an assessment and any refurbishments have to be completed within 10 years from the date of entry into force of the Directive, i.e. by 2014.