The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, has set 2007 as his target for the completion of full motorways running north, south and west from Dublin under an €8 billion roads programme.
Referring to the M1 between Dublin and Dundalk, he said yesterday that his aim was to do the same for Cork and Galway.
"I'm not saying that every last inch will be done by the end of 2007, but I believe in setting targets," he said, adding that rapid progress on "rolling-out-the- roads programme" had become possible because of an "historic agreement" with the Department of Finance on a multi-annual funding arrangement for the National Roads Authority (NRA).
Describing this as a "very exciting breakthrough", he said the guaranteed investment of more than €8 billion over the period 2004-2008 would avoid the "slow-downs and restarts" that used to happen when roads were funded year by year.
The €8 billion consists of €6.8 billion in public funding and a further €1.2 billion from the private sector, to be paid back from tolls. Government policy is to move to electronic or "barrier-free" tolling as a priority, he said.
There was also "more clarity" in the programme since the Government decided that the three strategic corridors linking Dublin with Belfast, Cork and Galway should be finished first, and to fill in other "gaps" as soon as possible thereafter.
"The benefits of the Belfast road demonstrate that it's only when you join the dots that you see the full picture," Mr Brennan said, adding that the remaining link between Dundalk and the Border would be completed in 2006.
Key aspects of the national roads programme in 2004 include:
17 major projects under construction as at January 1st, 2004, with a combined length of 149 km;
the start of construction on up to 17 major projects with a combined length of 155 km;
the completion of 12 major projects which will see the opening of 80 km of new roadway to traffic;
the completion of statutory procedures for all remaining sections of the major inter-urban routes (Dublin-Cork, Dublin-Galway, Dublin-Limerick and Dublin-Waterford);
the provision of €5.15 million for crash barriers in medians, €950,000 for new lay-bys and Garda observation platforms, and €5 million for metrication of speed-limit signs.
The NRA's overall allocation of €1.223 billion for 2004 was welcomed by NRA chairman Mr Peter Malone.
"Our biggest crib was that we didn't know from year to year where we were going, but now we can run it more like a business - a huge business."
Under the package, Mr Brennan said the high level of investment in 2004 would be maintained. "This will result in the delivery of a major uninterrupted motorway building programme year after year."
He complimented the NRA for "putting up with the pressure, most of it from me" and said that switching to design-and-build or fixed-price contracts meant that most schemes could now be delivered on time and within budget.
Mr Michael Tobin, the NRA's chief executive, said substantial progress was being made in expanding national roads programme activity in the Border Midlands and Western (BMW) region, where there had been a perceived funding gap.
This year, in addition to the nine new projects commencing construction, he said three major projects will be completed and opened to traffic - the N4 Hughestown/Meera, N5 Strokestown/Longford and M7 Monasterevin bypass schemes.
The schemes due to start this year include the Sligo inner relief route, which involves extending the N4 dual-carriageway through the town, as well as the Bundoran-Ballyshannon bypass in Co Donegal and the Ennis by-pass in Co Clare.
The NRA's forward planning allocation of €96.5 million will facilitate the early publication of a motorway scheme and environmental impact statement for the planned major upgrade of the M50, starting with the notorious Red Cow interchange.
Mr Tobin said it should be possible to start work on the Red Cow interchange and the N4 Palmerstown interchange in 2005 as well as widening the M50 by an extra lane in each direction between the two junctions, with a view to completion in 2007.
It is planned to spend €65.2 million this year on national primary road pavement (i.e. surface) rehabilitation, junction improvements, traffic route lighting and retrofitting crash barrier in motorway/dual-carriageway medians. A total of €45 million has been allocated to the five-year pavement restoration programme for national secondary roads.
Under a new Government Road Safety Strategy for the period 2004 to 2006, the NRA has been allocated €17.27 million for its work in this area. It says the better safety record of motorways and dual carriageways will save 50 lives annually.
