Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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773. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to progress the Narrow Water Bridge project in view of the commitment in the statement of Government priorities that a particular emphasis would be placed on infrastructural development in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32408/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

I know my predecessor, Minister Varadkar, confirmed through Parliamentary Questions and in other fora, the Government’s disappointment that the Narrow Water Bridge tender process resulted in a doubling of the initial costs budgeted for by the project partners for the construction of the bridge.

Given the budgetary constraints my Department is operating under it could not take on full responsibility for the increased project cost and the significant risks involved in the project.  While the Department was willing to consider assisting with the shortfall, this was explicitly contingent on significant contributions from other parties, including the Northern Ireland Executive.   These commitments were not forthcoming within the timescale required for the INTERREG IVA programme.

At that point SEUPB decided to withdraw its funding for the project and to re-allocate the funding to other eligible projects in the transport sector so as to ensure that the EU funds were not lost.

As to the possibility of the Narrow Water bridge qualifying for funding under the next INTERREG V the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the lead Department liaising with the SEUPB regarding the INTERREG V funding process. I understand that SEUPB has now published a draft Operational Programme for  public comment with a set of funding priorities. 

As regards the possibility of the grant funding from my Department for the project, the position remains that my Department is not in a position to grant aid the project as I do not have the scale of resources required when the priority must be on road maintenance and restoration as against new projects. My Department has to work within the very constrained budget available to it.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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774. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to progress the A5 road project in view of the commitment in the statement of Government priorities that a particular emphasis would be placed on infrastructural development in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32409/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The planning of the A5 upgrade is a matter for the Road Service in Northern Ireland.  The Northern Ireland High Court decided in March 2013 that an Appropriate Assessment of the impact of the A5 scheme on the River Foyle and River Finn special areas of conservation under the Habitats Directive was needed and consequently quashed the Minister for Regional Development’s approval for construction of two road sections of the route.  

Since that decision the Northern Ireland authorities have been working on the preparation of the necessary environmental assessments and revised statutory orders and considerable progress has been made in getting the assessments and orders prepared and out for public consultation. The outcome of the public consultation process will have to be considered and factored into the decision on the need for a new Public Inquiry next year. 

There will be continued liaison with the Northern Ireland authorities in relation to the project under the aegis of the North South Ministerial Council.