Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it is expected to complete the Final Stages of the Roads Bill 2014; if he will include provision in the Bill to allow the National Roads Authority to engage in preplanning consultations with An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46021/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The main purpose of the Roads Bill 2014, which has completed Second Stage in the Dáil, is to facilitate the merger of the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA). The Bill also provides for a number of amendments to the existing provisions of the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007. At present there is no provision in either the Roads Acts or the Planning Acts for the NRA or road authorities to enter into pre-planning application consultations with An Bord Pleanála in relation to proposed road developments.

I believe that there is merit in providing for such consultations and accordingly I will endeavour to introduce an amendment in this regard in the Roads Bill at Committee Stage.

As pre-planning consultations are a function of An Bord Pleanála, and therefore primarily a planning matter, my Department is liaising with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and An Bord Pleanála, as well as with the National Roads Authority, on the matter.

It is expected that the Roads Bill will reach Committee Stage in the New Year and will be enacted as soon as possible thereafter.