£26 billion budget for infrastructure

The EU has approved details of the major infrastructural investment programmes planned for the period up to 2006. The move will allow more focussed planning on where to locate the state's "growth gateways".

The operational programme has a total budget of £26 billion over the next six years and includes spending on roads, provision for serviced land, public transport and environmental protection.

Included in the infrastructural provision is the completion of the major inter-urban routes, particularly the M1/N1 cross-border routes that contribute to integrated development with Northern Ireland, and routes serving the west and north-west, including the N4 and the Western Corridor, that contribute to greater balance in regional development.

It also covers the cost of the construction of Luas line A, Tallaght/Connolly Station, the improvement of the Dublin suburban rail and DART network, further development of the Quality Bus Corridor network, and greater access by mobility impaired people to public transport. The funding also covers transport infrastructure and services in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

Money is also to be provided for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities necessary to alleviate pollution.

While the Republic has rapidly converged to average EU levels of wealth, our stock of physical infrastructure is lagging behind the standards in other member states.

This also places increasing strain on the environment and contributes to an imbalance between the Southern and Eastern Region and the Border, Midlands and Western Regions.

Acknowledging the major contribution of EU assistance to date, the Minister for Environment, Mr Dempsey, welcomed the commitment from the EU to continue to support the development of Ireland's economic infrastructure to 2006.