National roads programme to cost twice original estimate

Ireland’s national roads programme will reportedly cost taxpayers more than twice the original estimate because it was not costed properly.

Reports this morning said an investigation by the Comptroller and Auditor General had found that the roads programme would cost as much as €16.4bn.

The original estimated cost was just €7bn.

The Comptroller and Auditor General reportedly said the estimates were understated by more than 40% because of "a systematic failure to fully cost certain project elements and a failure to take full account of construction inflation".