Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 543: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position in relation to the provision of transport infrastructure by the public private partnership mechanism; his views on whether the successful passing of the Stability Treaty might expedite the progress of transport projects, such as the Galway city outer bypass, among others, through the PPP process. [23860/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a delivery mechanism for capital investment, where appropriate, is kept under review.

A number of road PPP projects have been successfully delivered in recent years. The successful awarding of a major PPP contract is challenging at any time but is particularly challenging in 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. Measures that serve to provide re-assurance to financial markets on the outlook for the State's finances can only be helpful in improving the prospects for attracting funding.

I should point out that the Galway Outer Bypass is the subject of a referral to the European Court of Justice at present and as such the issue of access to funding does not arise pending clarification of the outstanding legal issues.