NASH ‘NOT SURPRISED’ AT PORT ROUTE OMISSION FROM NATIONAL PLAN
4 October 2021
The fact that the long-awaited new €165 billion National Development Plan fails to mention the Northern Port Access Route comes as no surprise, local TD Ged Nash has said.
Labour’s national Finance & Public Spending spokesperson said;
“44 ‘national’ roads projects are mentioned in the multibillion euro plan – with no reference at all to the NPAR, even as a strategic ambition for Ireland’s largest town.
“In fact, the only references to Drogheda in the government’s flagship investment initiative are to the aspirational Dart Plus project where no costings or timelines are given, and to the Lourdes Hospital extension which was covered off between 2018 and 2021.
“Government party representatives will point to page 73 of the plan which states that local authorities can continue to make the case for investment projects not included in the plan. This will be small comfort to those of us who are ambitious for Drogheda and are anxious to see our area meet its full potential.
“However, it is clear to me from a reply from the Minister for Transport last week that Louth County Council has a mountain to climb to attract funding for this crucial project for housing and town centre regeneration in Drogheda.
“The Minister told me last week that just one meeting has taken place between this year between his department and the Council and that no business case has been made for funding to the Department of Public Expenditure.
“The plan will make for hugely disappointing reading for the people of the area. The NDP along with the National Planning Framework is the ultimate guiding document for public investment for the next ten years. Any objective reading of the plan says to me that Drogheda will not be enabled to be the city it can be during the lifetime of this plan. It is totally free of ambition for Ireland’s largest town.”
Ends.
See Parliamentary Question Reply from Minster for Transport
For Written Answer on : 28/09/2021
Question Number(s): 271,272 Question Reference(s): 46829/21, 46830/21
Department: Transport
Asked by: Ged Nash T.D.
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QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department has provided an assessment or a business case to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of the case for a funding allocation to resource the planned Drogheda northern port access route in the forthcoming revised National Development Plan 2018-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter.- Ged Nash T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 28 September, 2021.
* To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department will commit to funding the Drogheda northern port access route in view of his stated policy commitment to providing for town by-passes to allow for urban centres to reduce traffic and regenerate; and if he will make a statement on the matter.- Ged Nash T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 28 September, 2021.
REPLY
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The extent of the cutbacks in grant funding during the post 2008 recession meant that grant funding for road improvement schemes had to be curtailed because expenditure on maintenance/renewal was falling well short of what was required to adequately maintain the regional and local road network.
Under the National Development Plan (NDP), as it stands, there has been a significant increase in Exchequer funding for regional and local roads, particularly in the last four years. Funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate protection and renewal of regional and local roads and so for this reason, the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the protection and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
Any road improvement projects proposed by local authorities for consideration for funding are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code (PSC) and my Department's Capital Appraisal Framework (CAF).
It is my understanding that Louth County Council sought funding for the proposed Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) which is administered by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). There was some discussion between Louth County Council and my Department this year regarding the project appraisal process if the scheme were to be submitted to my Department for consideration. To date no formal application has been received by this Department from Louth County Council in relation to the proposed PANCR and my Department has not had any engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the scheme.