Written answers

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Road Network

9:00 pm

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be made available in the current year for an upgrade on the M4 from Collooney to Castelbaldwin, County Sligo. [11592/11]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Noting this I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will instruct the National Roads Authority to produce more affordable improvements more evenly and fairly across the nation; if a more affordable and equitable policy on road design and construction is to be adopted; if he will offer examples of present schemes that will be reassessed in this manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13687/11]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007. My Department has engaged with the National Roads Authority, along with other agencies of the Department, in relation to the capital programme of works which can be undertaken in the period 2012 – 2016. Following that review, when budgets have been established for future years, the NRA will be in a better position to review the scale and number of projects that can be undertaken in the future.

Comments

Robert Browne
Posted on 9 Jun 2011 12:54 am (Report this comment)

The NRA is funded by the exchequer or allowed to toll roads which is also tantamount to imposing further taxes on citizens. They must be made accountable to the Dail. Similarly, to the waste of money in banks they have been responsible for some of the most lavish and outlandish sums of money being disgorged from the public purse into the hands of private individuals. It is a fact that this extraordinary waste of funds has happened. Those responsible, like the bankers, must be made fully accountable for their actions. Building national roads is not more important than building a national consensus for recovery. The country is insolvent and there is no more room whatsoever for unaccountable maverick bodies such as the NRA. Roads and infrastructure needs to be maintained not expanded until such time as Ireland as a country can return to funding from the markets. Under no circumstances should the NRA be allowed to suck more and more money, disposable income, from the lives of ordinary citizens who are struggling to get to and from work.

A small but pertinent example of the arrogance of this body was the removal of two important signs in Ballyvaughan village Co. Clare that had been in place before the NRA was even established, we are talking about a time span of 20 or 30 years. These signs in the village of Ballyvaughan were removed without so much as even bothering to consult with the individuals who's livelihoods were being directly threatened by their removal. It appears they are a totally unaccountable body that need not justify their actions to anybody. Mr. Wallace is making a very practical and timely suggestion here and he has considerable expertise in road repair and construction. He knows that this is a gravy train body which is unaccountable.

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