Written answers

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

Department of Transport

National Development Plan

10:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which the various projects identified by his Department in the context of the National Development Plan are on time and within cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46335/09]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Substantial progress has been made to date on the transport projects contained in the National Development Plan. The major inter urban roads programme, linking Dublin with Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and the Border with Northern Ireland, is on target for full completion in 2010. The upgrade of the M50 motorway is also on target for completion in 2010.

On public transport, new railway stations have opened on the Kildare line and Irish Rail has completely modernised its intercity rolling stock under Transport 21. I opened the Cork commuter rail line from Glounthaune to Midleton earlier this year and the Luas line extension to the Docklands opened on the 8th December. Both Phase 1 of the Western Rail Corridor and the Kildare Rail Project will open early in the New Year. Construction continues on other projects such as the Luas lines to Cherrywood and Citywest, and the first phase of the Navan rail line between Clonsilla and Pace.

The start and completion dates for National Development Plan projects that have not yet commenced will be subject to the relevant statutory and procurement and contract award processes and will also be determined by the funding allocation available during the current difficult economic climate, having regard to the priorities for transport investment set out in the Renewed Programme for Government.

The vast majority of National Development Plan projects completed to date have come in on or under budget. A small number of projects ran over budget largely due to changes in the scope of those projects.

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