Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which public private partnerships are likely to be used to fund projects in the transport sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26794/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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A comprehensive review of capital spending is now underway, the results of which will form the basis of the new National Development Plan(NDP). Priorities for funding in the transport sector for the period 2012 -2016 and funding mechanisms will be outlined in the new NDP.

The use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a delivery mechanism for capital investment where appropriate will be kept under review. A number of road PPP projects have been successfully delivered in recent years. However the successful awarding of a major PPP contract involving private funding is challenging at any time but is particularly challenging in current circumstances where Ireland has been the subject of intervention by the IMF/EU. In view of the current circumstances the international debt funding market has been reluctant to lend funds to finance major projects in Ireland, the repayment of which is ultimately dependant on the state.