Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has been briefed by the National Roads Authority on the status of the roll out of the network of motorway rest and service areas on the national urban road system; the target completion date and location for the first group of rest and service areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23287/08]

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 detailed planning, design and implementation of national road projects, including the provision of service areas on or near these routes and their precise locations, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Roads Act 2007, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities concerned.

I understand from the NRA that they are advancing a PPP procurement processes for a number of service areas to be situated on the Major Interurban Routes serving the Border, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. They are also actively pursing site acquisition for other proposed areas on the rest of the national road network. Subject to An Bord Pleanála approval, completion of the first three service areas is anticipated in 2009.