Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department is examining plans to complete the original Dublin C-ring or M50/Dublin beltway, namely, the southern extension of the Port Tunnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17340/08]

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 implementation of individual national road projects, such as the proposed Dublin Eastern Bypass, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Act, 1993 in conjunction with the relevant local authorities concerned.

As I indicated in response to similar Parliamentary Questions recently, two reports were commissioned by the NRA in 2000 and 2002 on the feasibility of constructing the Eastern Bypass. Copies of both reports were forwarded to my Department at the time. The output of these reports consisted of a constraints study and preliminary cost and traffic reports.

It was indicated at the launch of Transport 21 that feasibility study work would be undertaken on this route. However, implementation of the project is not included in the Transport 21 financial envelope.

The NRA subsequently engaged consulting engineers to update these two studies by undertaking a further engineering and feasibility study of the Bypass. This study examines possible route options, forecasts traffic demand and reports on scheme costs for the various options examined. The Department was given a copy of this report by the NRA late last year and is considering it.