Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Transport the Government's commitment to the outer orbital route/Leinster orbital route, bearing in mind the identification of the Drogheda, Navan and Naas section of the road as the optimum part of the route in April 2007; when funding will be allocated to the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30568/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The planning design and implementation of individual national road projects (including the allocation of funding) is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under sections 17 and 19 of the Roads Act, 1993 in conjunction with the relevant local authorities concerned.

Both Transport 21 and the National Development Plan committed the NRA to carrying out a feasibility study on the Orbital Route. Earlier this year, the NRA completed an updated feasibility study which built on an earlier 2001 study, looking in particular at the costs and benefits of such a route.

As part of the study various possible route corridors were examined in detail. A corridor linking Drogheda to Navan to Naas was identified as the optimum route having regard to the policy objectives set out in the various policy documents on the route. Funding for construction of an orbital route is not provided under either Transport 21 or the National Development Plan.