Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 244: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the initial agreement between him, the British Government and Northern Ireland Assembly regarding the commitment to allocate £400 million as match funding towards the building of the A5 Derry to Aughnacloy dual carriageway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35359/11]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 245: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the manner in which he was to pay over instalments of £400 million match funding towards the building of the A5 Derry top Aughnacloy dual carriageway; the timelines or milestones agreed for the making of such payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35360/11]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 246: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he has had with his Northern Ireland counterparts in advance of the announcement in the infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan not to continue with the commitment to provide £400 million towards the A5 Derry to Aughnacloy dual carriageway in order to have it competed by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35361/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, together.

Arising from the St Andrew's Agreement, the Irish Government gave a commitment to co-fund the construction of the A5 through Northern Ireland to Derry thus improving access to Letterkenny and North Donegal. The Government's commitment to a contribution of £400 million for investment in roads infrastructure in Northern Ireland was included in a joint infrastructure investment package announced in March 2007 by the British and Irish Governments in the lead up to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Drawdown of funding is based on the achievement of agreed project milestones as reported by the Cross-Border Roads Steering Group leading to approval by the North South Ministerial Council. The A5 project milestone and payment schedule was formally approved by the NSMC Plenary in January 2011. To date funding of £19 million (sterling) has been paid by the Irish Government towards the planning of the project with a further £3 million (sterling) due to be paid in 2012 in relation to the completion of the Public Inquiry on the project.

It had been envisaged, subject to the outcome of the planning process, that the balance of the Irish Government's contribution would have been paid over the period 2013 to 2016 according as specified milestones were achieved during the construction phase of the project. However, it is important to stress that no provision was made by the outgoing Fianna Fáil led Government within either the Infrastructure Investment Priorities Plan 2010-2016 or the Four Year Plan for this project beyond the payments already made and the payments due in 2012.

Following an extensive Capital Investment Review conducted in 2011 by this Government and having regard to the current economic position which the Deputy will appreciate was inherited from the previous Fianna Fáil led Government, it has proved necessary to defer the funding commitment to the A5.

In early November, in advance of the announcement of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, and I met with our Northern Ireland Ministerial counterparts, Sammy Wilson MP MLA and Danny Kennedy MLA to discuss the position in relation to the A5 project. This matter will be discussed further at the North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting which is being held tomorrow.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 247: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline what the £50 million being made available to the Northern Ireland Government towards the A5 dual carriageway will achieve in terms of progress in the building of the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35367/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As referred to within my answer to the Deputy's questions yesterday, contributions towards the A5 roads project of £25m will be made in 2015 and a further £25m in 2016 subject to the agreement at the North South Ministerial Council. This will be met from the Government's unallocated reserves and not from the vote of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

I would remind the Deputy that the previous Fianna Fáil led Government made no provision to meet the costs of the A5 post 2012 in either the Four Year Plan or the Infrastructure Investment Priorities Plan 2010 to 2016.

With regard to what can be achieved by this funding, this will be discussed at tomorrow's North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting and follow-up by the relevant authorities thereafter. I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of this discussion.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 248: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the objective criteria that was used not to include funding in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme 2012-2016 for the Killaloe/Ballina bypass between County Clare and County Tipperary. [35375/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.

The Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme (2012 to 2016) made no mention of the inclusion or exclusion of any regional or local road improvement scheme. The 2012 allocations will be announced early in the New Year, and will have regard to the current financial circumstances and competing demands from other local authorities for funding for such strategic schemes.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 249: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the objective criteria that was used not to include funding in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme for the northern relief road between Limerick city and County Clare. [35376/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.

The Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme (2012 to 2016) made no mention of the inclusion or exclusion of any regional or local road improvement scheme. The 2012 allocations will be announced early in the New Year, and will have regard to the current financial circumstances and competing demands from local authorities in respect of such strategic schemes.