Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the National Recovery Plan, which was published by the previous Government in November, envisaged significantly reduced road investment for the duration of the Plan and therefore the scope for proceeding with major road projects is very limited. The capital investment review that is now planned will form the basis for a new National Development Plan for the period 2012-2017 and will examine the costs and benefits of all capital projects against a range of economic, social and environmental criteria. Key considerations in the transport sector will be the need to protect the investment made to date in our road network and to continue with remedial safety measures. Once the funding framework for capital expenditure is determined it will be a matter for the National Roads Authority to prioritise projects within its funding envelope.