Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount by which the national roads programme has gone over budget since it was launched in the National Development Plan 2000-2006, wherein it was supposed to cost approximately €6 billion. [26299/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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On publication of the National Development Plan (NDP) in 1999 the estimate of the cost, and the nominal amount in the NDP for the National Roads Programme was €6.96bn (in early 1999 prices). Subsequent to this estimate in 1999 a major expansion in the programme took place including:

the inclusion of the Dublin – Waterford M14;

the scope of many of the projects including upgrading of routes, higher road standards, and additional cost of land acquisition; and

significant construction cost inflation.

The reasons for increases from initial estimates, drawn up in advance of detailed scheme design, to the more refined scheme estimates were examined in some detail by the Comptroller and Auditor General and major independent evaluations on the national roads programme by Fitzpatrick's Associates in 2002 and Indecon in 2003. The C&AG Report, and the other evaluations, acknowledged that the national roads investment programme was, in general, well managed, in particular, as regards factors within the control of the National Roads Authority (NRA).