Funds will help NRA’s planning

SOME 8 billion will be invested on Irish motorways and 2.3bn spent on public transport over the next five years, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy said in the Budget yesterday.

The funding is committed for the 2004 to 2008 period and will allow the National Roads Authority and other agencies, such as CIÉ, to carry out their programmes in a planned manner, the minister said.

"This is a rolling investment programme or financial envelope that will allow for a structured, planned approach," he told the Dáil. Mr McCreevy also said he was going to reform public contracts to ensure contractors bear the brunt of increases in inflation and other costs.