Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 535: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost per vehicle that he is obliged to pay to the private company which operates the M3 Dublin - Navan motorway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24936/11]

Leo 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 implementation of individual national road projects, including the M3, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007.

In particular, the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).

Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 536: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 55 of 6 July 2011, if he will renegotiate the commitments that the previous Government entered into in 2007 in respect of a roads investment package for Northern Ireland to take account of changed economic circumstances here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24939/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 55 of 6th July 2011, in the context of the March 2007 agreement between the Irish and British Governments on a funding package to support the restored Northern Ireland Executive, the Irish Government made a commitment to provide funding for a roads investment package for Northern Ireland to contribute to the upgrading of the A5 road from Aughnacloy to Derry/Londonderry to dual-carriageway status.

As the Taoiseach recently indicated, the Government remains committed to the upgrade of the A5 road in the context of the North West Gateway Initiative designed to develop the economic potential of the North West.