Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 297: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the allocation of the €300 million to €600 million to commercial sea ports here since the publication of Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal 2009-2014; and the specific projects undertaken. [17622/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The expenditure referred to in Building Ireland's Smart Economy relates to the port sub-programme of the NDP 2007 to 2013. This sub-programme estimates that between €300 and €600 million of non-Exchequer expenditure will be invested in commercial seaport infrastructure in the State over the period of the NDP. The vast majority of this expenditure will be incurred by the State-owned commercial port companies from their own resources. There is no Exchequer funding of commercial port infrastructure provided for.

To date capital investment under the sub-programme is broadly in line with projections. The Department's monitoring of the sub-programme shows that some €120 million has been invested to date, with a further €75 million budgeted for 2009. This expenditure relates to numerous relatively small port infrastructure projects around the country. A number of major port infrastructure projects are at various stages of the planning process at present, but none of these have commenced construction as yet.