CIF confident roads will be completed

The Construction Industry Federation has assured the Minister for the Environment it has the capacity to carry out a £6.3 billion road-building programme over the next seven years. The road programme was first identified by the National Roads Authority in 1998 as a 21-year scheme. However, it has now been telescoped into seven years as part of the National Development Plan.

Responding to questions at the Government's consultative forum with the Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly in Cork yesterday, Mr Dempsey said the CIF had assured him "formally and informally" the programme could succeed. The Minister was speaking as the NRA held a press conference in Dublin to outline this year's projects. These include the M1 northern motorway from Dublin Airport to the Balbriggan bypass; the M50 south-eastern motorway; the Dublin Port tunnel and the Kildare bypass.

The total allocation to local authorities to cover roads for this year is £437 million - the highest provision for national roads in the history of the State.

However, while the Minister welcomed the NRA announcement, he was challenged by Mr Sean Hillery, from Clare County Council, a member of the Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly, who said he was sceptical such an ambitious plan could be completed within the time frame.

"The CIF are in constant contact with the Department and they have now declared themselves to be satisfied that the construction industry can deliver - I hope they are right," Mr Dempsey responded. The Minister also said he had "suggested to them on a number of occasions that engineering firms should have a look at linking up with European counterparts where there is spare capacity in Europe for consultancy skills so we maximise our capacity to deliver".

Mr Dempsey added, however, that he was "not sure that the CIF are totally enamoured with that idea but it is a route that we are going to have to go".