Delay fears for transport projects due to State funding slowdown

Major road and public transport projects which State agencies are hoping will not be delayed due to a slowdown in Exchequer funding include the Dublin Port Tunnel, the South Eastern Motorway and the Kildare Route Project.

Senior Iarnr≤d ╔ireann executives have been privately concerned for some time about the delivery of the full £1 billion (€1.27 billion) promised under the National Development Plan.

Public transport issues at stake include improvements to the central corridor in Dublin, a re-signalling project which would increase the number of trains from about 12 to 16 per hour in each direction on the Pearse to Connolly Street section.

This together with the extension of the platforms at Tara Street to allow for eight-car darts, would dramatically improve the capacity of the system at peak times.

The Kildare Route project involves the separation of inter-city and Dublin suburban services between Co Kildare and Dublin and would dramatically increase the capacity of the commuter service.

The rail company is concerned that any delay in funding would hamper its ability to deal with overcrowding and deliver an improved commuter service in the greater Dublin area.

Iarnr≤d ╔ireann along with the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Authority is also concerned that the rail safety programme be continued as well as improvements to the Sligo line. New schemes which may be threatened by a lack of funding include provision for the reopening of the Cork to Midleton line and planning for commuter traffic between Limerick and Galway. The National Roads Authority is hoping the Government funding for 2002 will amount to almost £1 billion on Budget day.

The authority which has been asked by the Government to "gear up" to deliver the ambitious roads-building programme outlined in the National Development Plan will this year spend about £750 million. This figure is ahead of the £660 million included in the last budget as a result of a supplementary estimate approved by the Dβil last week.

As work begins in earnest on the final section of the M50/Dublin C-Ring, the South Eastern Motorway, and work is intensified on the Dublin Port Tunnel, the requirement for investment next year is likely to increase further. The South Eastern Motorway alone will have a total cost in the order of £400 million and should be completed in 2004.

The authority will want to see a significant increase in funding to cover work on these projects and would be hoping for an allocation close to £1 billion.

The authority is acutely aware that having - against expectations - delivered on its targets, it has now been delayed by five months by a protest by farmers over the level of compensation payments where land is acquired by compulsory purchase order.

With this in mind the authority will be particularly anxious that funding remains buoyant as it tries to make up for time lost to the farmers' dispute.

The State's commitment to Sports Campus Ireland at Abbotstown, Co Dublin, will be met, according to the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy. He has already set aside almost €42 million for the sports campus. The swimming pool at the campus is to be ready for the Special Olympics in 2003.