Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason for the proposed closure of the Castleknock gates of the Phoenix Park for up to two months; the work which is to be carried out; the estimated cost of these works; the reason this work was not completed during the summer 2009 off-peak period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33191/09]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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The closure of Castleknock Gate from Monday 28 September for a period of a maximum of nine weeks is necessitated by essential works that are required to be carried out at the Mountjoy Cross junction in the Phoenix Park. These works consist of a permanent roundabout to replace the current temporary structure, new drainage works to prevent a recurrence of flooding on the Main Road, laying of a new network of gas pipes and the repair of the Castleknock Gates, damaged by a heavy goods vehicle. The estimated cost of the works at the roundabout is €192,000 ex VAT.

The works are part of a very much larger scheme for the complete refurbishment of Chesterfield Avenue, submitted to Dublin City Council for planning permission and subsequently rejected by An Bord Pleanála, primarily because of the bus lane element of the plan.

The works at the Mountjoy roundabout to create a permanent structure for the safety of all users and to alleviate the flooding difficulties that continue to occur at this junction were planned to be carried out as part of the overall Chesterfield Avenue scheme. However, once the planning situation had been clarified, there was a narrow window of opportunity to complete the roundabout works, which are permitted under planning laws, before Garda restrictions on roadworks come into effect at the end of November as part of Operation Freeflow. As soon as the planning permission was rejected, a tendering process was undertaken and a contract placed. This enabled the urgent works at this dangerous junction to be carried out separately to the overall Chesterfield Avenue scheme, which will now have to go through the planning process again.

It is anticipated that, if a decision to carry out the works had not been taken at this time, it would be 2011 at the earliest before another opportunity would have presented itself to enable the OPW to carry out the necessary works.