Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department intends to utilise such a substantive allocation of capital funds in view of the news that the new National Development Plan 2007-2013, to be unveiled in January 2007, has highlighted €1 billion to target the development of strategic cross-Border infrastructure schemes. [36233/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for Transport the projects his Department view as priority schemes, bearing in mind the regional disparity and imbalance [i]vis-À-vis[/i] regional development and infrastructure facing the border and north west regions. [36234/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together.

Transport 21 sets out the Government's transport capital investment priorities for the ten-year period 2006 to 2015 and is likely to form a significant part of the transport component of the forthcoming National Development Plan 2007-2013. It has been designed to address the role of transport in supporting balanced regional development as identified by the National Spatial Strategy (NSS). It is expected that the National Development Plan 2007-2013 will be announced in January 2007.

In addition there are a number of projects which have a specific cross-border dimension. These include:

the completion of the motorway from Dublin to the border, including the Newry-Dundalk road.

the development of the Atlantic Road Corridor which will provide improved access to Letterkenny from the other gateways on the western seaboard.

the development of the N2 and the N3 providing improved access to Letterkenny from the other gateways on the western seaboard.

the development of the N2 and the N3 providing improved access from Dublin to Derry and the northwest.

the improvement of the N52 (Dundalk to Nenagh) road which will enhance cross-country links from the northwest.

the provision of funding support for the expansion of Derry airport in recognition of its importance to the whole of the North West.