Written answers

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Road Projects

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the Narrow Water Bridge proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37334/14]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal 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.

Last month I met with officials from Louth County Council to discuss alternative plans being worked on by the local authority to advance the Narrow Water Bridge project. It is a matter for Louth County Council to further develop its proposal including the need for an economic appraisal to be undertaken in addition to an assessment of alternative funding arrangements for such a scheme. From the view of my Department, it has to be mindful of the need to operate within the very constrained budget available to it.

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