Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 22: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the fact that the Government commissioned communication strategy sees its role as demonstrating value for money, openness, and full accountability, he will provide information to the public in respect of the individual costings, timing, business cases, and priority accorded to the 39 major Transport 21 projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24398/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

When Transport 21 was launched in November 2005, details of the major projects to be implemented in the ten-year period 2006 to 2015 were provided together with an indicative completion date for each. Updated information on all major projects is provided on my Department's Transport 21 website and on the websites of the relevant implementing agencies.

Every project in Transport 21 is required to be evaluated in accordance with the Department of Finance Capital Appraisal Guidelines and Value for Money criteria. Most of the projects must also go through statutory approval processes, which usually means a public hearing before an independent inspector where the case for the project, including the overall business case, is set out. Only when statutory approval is given can the implementing agency award the relevant construction contracts.

I do not consider it prudent to release commercially sensitive information on projects while these processes are continuing. However, it is my intention to provide relevant business case information and cost details once a project has successfully completed the statutory processes, all contracts have been awarded and the project is underway.