Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for the continuation of the M17, Tuam-Gort Section; the proposed start date for construction of this section; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this section of motorway is a vital piece of infrastruture for Mayo and the West of Ireland in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5515/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

The Government recognises the importance of this piece of infrastructure and as such, the Gort-Tuam PPP project is one of a number of road projects identified in the Government's Financial Stimulus Package.  As the investment and Capital Expenditure Framework 2012 - 2016 did not include a financial provision for this project, an additional multi-annual allocation is required to cover the Exchequer element of the project costs. This allocation of such funds is related to the planned sale of State assets, clarification has been sought from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the timelines involved. Once appropriate funding arrangements are put in place, the NRA will be in a position to prepare the project implementation schedule.