Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which targets and costings set in the context of Transport 21 are expected to be met on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17788/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Dail question Nos 70, 59 and 19 of today's date.

At the launch of Transport 21, the Government identified the programmes and projects in the national roads, public transport and regional airports sectors that it wishes to see prioritised for implementation in the ten-year period from 2006 to 2015 within an overall capital provision of €34 billion. That objective has not changed.

The prioritization of those programmes and projects was influenced by relevant Government policies such as the National Spatial Strategy and by a number of relevant studies such as the National Road Needs Study, the Strategic Rail Review, the DTO Strategy document "A Platform for Change" the Cork Area Strategic Study and proposals submitted by the principal implementing agencies.

The significant progress made on Transport 21 in its first two years is continuing. A number of projects have been completed and many more are either under construction or well advanced in planning. For example most national road projects are now being completed ahead of schedule and within budget and it is expected that the five major inter-urban routes will be completed by the end of 2010. New rolling stock and improved services are being introduced across the intercity rail network and the capacity of trams on the Tallaght Luas line has been increased by 40%. In addition, construction is underway on the Luas extensions to Cherrywood and the Docklands and on the Midleton, Western Rail Corridor and Kildare Route rail projects.

The Government has committed to the overall funding for Transport 21 over its ten-year life to 2015. The Exchequer element of the funding is provided through the normal annual budget and estimates process. For the first three years of Transport 21, the capital funding provided has been fully in line with the originally agreed profile of expenditure. The Government has repeatedly indicated that the National Development Plan, of which Transport 21 is a fundamental part, is its top priority and that, even in difficult economic circumstances, it will seek to continue to provide the funding necessary to develop its capital programme.