Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the report from the World Economic Forum that the quality of the air transport infrastructure here dropped to 46th place internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39955/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the report from the World Economic Forum that the quality of the roads here has dropped ten places to 70th overall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39959/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 99 and 128 together.

The findings of the report cited by the Deputy do not reflect the high level of investment in transport infrastructure in recent years.

The Government has regularly acknowledged the deficit that exists in the country's transport infrastructure and has set out, over a number of years, to address this deficit through the provision of substantial funding and the implementation of strategic programmes. Over the past decade and more, we have had to tackle the twin challenges of addressing past underinvestment and phenomenal growth in transport demand, matching overall growth in the economy.

This has been very much the case with regard to air infrastructure and especially the infrastructure at Dublin Airport. The Government is aware that in recent years the travel experience at Dublin Airport has been falling short of that experienced in other top class international airports, primarily because of capacity constraints.

With the backing of the Government a major capital investment programme to improve, expand and modernise Dublin Airport is currently being implemented by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). Under the ten-year programme DAA is investing €2 billion in new and improved facilities to create a much better airport for its customers.

The major elements of that programme consist of improvements and expansions to the existing terminal, the construction of a new Terminal Two and the construction of a second runway to cater for increased aviation demand for the long run.

The position with the other two main airports is that a new terminal was completed at Cork Airport in 2006. This has the capacity to cater for an expansion of passenger numbers from its current level of about 3 million to 5 million a year. As regards Shannon Airport, it continues to operate well within its infrastructural capacity.

Major investments have been made in the past ten years in the national road network and the major inter-urban road programme linking Dublin with the other cities is now well advanced and on target for completion in 2010. The implementation of national roads projects, including the construction and maintenance of such roads, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Act 1993 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. The National Development Plan also provides for substantial levels of investment in regional and local roads.

Since the late 1990s, we have for the first time begun to invest seriously in public transport. Transport 21 is a very concrete acknowledgement by the Government of the need to invest in our transport infrastructure. Unique among capital programmes, it provides a ten year commitment to a very high level of investment in national roads, public transport and regional airports.

Notwithstanding the current difficult economic climate, this Government is committed to continuing investment in the national transport infrastructure. This is reflected in the provision in the 2009 Estimates of €2.4 billion for Transport 21 and €478 million for regional and local roads.