There is expected to be "limited" funding for progressing roads projects that are in the planning phase in the first five years of the National Development Plan (NDP), TDs and Senators will be told today.
Peter Walsh, the chief executive of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), is set to tell the Oireachtas Committee on Transport hat the "current indications" are that funding for the years 2021 to 2025 will be in the order of € 1 billion.
In his opening statement he says: “much of that will be required to complete the projects at construction with limited funding available for the progression of projects in the planning phase.”
He says that overall the Government has indicated that the funding for new national roads for the ten years of the NDP will be €5.1 billion.
Mr Walsh is to appear at the committee along with Anne Graham the chief executive of the National Transport Authority to be quizzed on the NDP which was published by the Government last month.
He will set out the NDP priorities for national roads during his contribution including the protection and renewal of the existing network and major projects under or commencing construction like the the plan for M50 Traffic Control and Management, the N5 Westport to Turlough road and N56 Dungloe to Glenties route.
Mr Walsh will cite the N/M20 Cork to Limerick road update as a project being planned and saying it is a "major investment in this NDP" which "is to be brought through planning and, subject to approvals, delivery."
Other planned projects are to improve international connectivity with upgrades for routes to ports as well as projects to support "compact growth" like the N6 Galway City Ring Road and Slane and Ardee bypasses.
He says the NDP also has other major projects in planning and “Explicit priority is given to progressing another 24 named national roads projects”.
He adds that “national roads projects additional to those listed in the NDP can be considered for progression to planning in the 2021-2030 period subject to funding and to further approvals.”
Ms Graham, whose organisation manages the capital investment programme for public transport, cycling and walking in the Greater Dublin Area and the regional cities will brief the committee on the projects it is involved in under the NDP.
She will say that the plan “includes very significant developments such as the BusConnects Programme, MetroLink and the DART+ Programme, as well as other important public transport, walking and cycling projects which will assist in meeting the demand for sustainable transport as well as our obligations to reduce carbon emissions.”
