Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason the anticipated level of PPP investment in our roads programme as set out in Estimates 2006 did not materialise in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41790/06]

Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Transport the anticipated level of PPP investment in the national road programme for 2006; the actual amount which will be invested through PPPs for 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41770/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 143 together.

I understand from the NRA that the anticipated level of PPP investment in the national road programme for 2006 is approximately €120m. This is less than the original forecast set for the year of around €160m. The difference is due to the accelerated completion of the M1 Dundalk Western Bypass and the M4/M6 Kilcock-Enfield-Kinnegad Bypass PPP schemes, both of which were completed in 2005, months ahead of their expected completion in 2006.

Contracts for the N25 Waterford Bypass and the N7 Limerick Tunnel Scheme were awarded earlier this year and this means that in the period from 2003 (when the first PPP Contract, the M4/M6 Kilcock-Kinnegad contract was awarded), to August 2006 (when the N7 Limerick Tunnel, the most recent contract was awarded), approximately €1 billion in private finance has been secured for investment in the national road network.

The remaining PPP contracts i.e., for M3 Clonee-Kells, M50 Upgrade Phase 2, M7/ M8 Portlaoise-Castletown/Portlaoise-Cullahill and the N6 Galway-Ballinasloe, are all planned to be awarded by Quarter 3, 2007.