Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

230. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the average time for a project to go from gate zero to gate six construction; and the timelines involved in previous projects in the past 20 years that went through those gates. [4604/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Public Spending Code, published in 2013, is the set of roles, procedures and guidance to ensure value-for-money in public expenditure across the Irish Public Service. The Code applies to all organisations that spend public money. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform reviewed and updated the Code in 2019 and the updates were applied from 1 January 2020.

There are four Decision Gates in the Public Spending Code lifecycle. These are:

- Decision Gate 0 - Reached on completion of the Strategic Assessment Report, in which the project rationale, objectives, and list of options is set out

- Decision Gate 1 - Reached on completion of the Preliminary Business Case for the project

- Decision Gate 2 - Reached on completion of the Detailed Project Brief and Procurement Strategy

- Decision Gate 3 - Reached on completion of the Final Business Case

It should be noted that Gate 0 approval was only introduced in 2019 when the Code was revised. Only when a project is approved at Gate 3 does it have approval to proceed to construction.

The time in which it takes any particular project to reach each of these Decision Gates varies from project to project, depending on the length of time it takes to develop the project and pass through any necessary statutory processes. Average timelines do not reflect the complexity of individual projects and given the length of time the current version of the code has been in place it is not possible to provide such a time at this point.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

231. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the route being considered under a gate zero proposal (details supplied). [4605/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you on the status of this project.

Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.