Cost saving amendment to be introduced to Roads Bill 2014
Fine Gael Limerick TD, Patrick O’Donovan, has welcomed the decision of Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD, to accept an amendment to the Roads Bill 2014 to allow for the National Roads Authority (NRA) to engage in pre-planning consultations with An Bord Peanála, saying it will help to save taxpayers’ money in the long term.
“I strongly welcome the decision of Minister Varadkar to accept my proposal in relation to the Roads Bill 2014 to allow for the NRA to engage with An Bord Pleanála at the pre-planning stage of its projects.
“I previously raised this issue with the Minister in the context of our discussions on the future of the Adare bypass, and I outlined how pre-planning engagement between the NRA and An Bord Pleanála would save the tax payer money in the long term, and would also help to deliver projects in a much more efficient manner.
“Yesterday in the Dáil I raised the matter in the context of the Roads Bill 2014, which provides for the merger of the NRA and the Railway Procurement Agency. I asked the Minister to consider allowing the NRA to hold pre-planning consultations with An Bord Pleanála in the same way that the RPA has done in the past and he agreed.
“I am very pleased that the Minister has taken the enlightened decision to accept this amendment. Allowing the NRA to engage with An Bord Pleanála at an early stage will avoid taxpayers’ money being spent on planning road projects that are subsequently rejected. It will also hopefully go some way to reducing the delay for communities across the country, like Adare, who are waiting for badly needed road improvements.”
Notes:
Please see below the Parliamentary Question submitted and response received by Deputy O’Donovan:
DAIL QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, in the context of the upcoming merger of the National Roads Authority and the Rail Procurement Agency, he will consider amendments to existing planning legislation and regulatory instruments to allow the NRA and or local authorities to engage in pre-planning consultations with An Bord Pleanála in an attempt to avoid money being spent on planning road projects that are subsequently rejected at a cost to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Patrick O’Donovan.
R E P L Y
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar
The planning, design and implementation of individual national road schemes are matters for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2007 in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.
The main purpose of the Roads Bill 2014, which is currently at Second Stage in the Dáil, is to facilitate the merger of the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA). The Bill also provides for a number of amendments to the existing provisions of the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007.
At present there is no provision in either the Roads Acts or the Planning Acts for the NRA or road authorities to enter into pre-planning application consultations with An Bord Pleanála in relation to proposed road developments. However, the Planning Acts make provision for pre-planning consultation in relation to various other strategic infrastructure developments, including transport-related projects, with An Bord Pleanála prior to the submission of a planning application.
I believe that there is merit to the Deputy’s suggestion which has arisen from our discussions of the future of the Adare Bypass. It makes little sense to me, for example, that the promoters of the Luas can engage in pre-planning consultations with the An Bord Pleanála but the relevant roads authority cannot do so for a new road. Therefore, if the Deputy wishes to bring forward such an amendment to the Roads Bill at Committee Stage, I am open to accepting it. Alternatively, I will seek to introduce such an amendment in the Roads Bill at Committee Stage.
However, as pre-planning consultations are a function of An Bord Pleanála and therefore primarily a planning matter this will require close liaision between my Department and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and An Bord Pleanála.