Robert Troy
Question:28. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his key priorities for investment in transport and tourism infrastructure following the mid-term review of the capital investment plan. [49603/17]
Priority Questions
Capital Expenditure Programme
The Minister is aware that the new capital plan is scheduled to be published before the end of this year. A commitment was given by the previous Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, that the Minister would publish the Department's submission to the capital plan. It is very important that we have a debate in the House on the priorities and where the money will be invested in infrastructure over the coming years. I hope the Minister will enlighten the House this morning on what are his priorities.
I thank the Deputy for the question, which is very important, particularly in view of the mid-term capital review and the ten year capital plan. The Deputy is aware that following the completion of the mid-term review of the capital plan, my Department secured the largest increase in capital funding of all Departments out to 2021 and the end of the current capital plan.
Total capital funding over the next four years will now be €7 billion for transport, €200 million for sport and €169 million for tourism, and those funding levels represent an increase of €1.2 billion, or 20%. This allows for a significant acceleration of previous plans and makes a great number of projects possible across the country.
In public transport, the priorities are to address congestion and the emerging capacity constraints in our public transport system across our cities. The additional funding secured will allow for the roll-out of projects such as BusConnects, which will overhaul and improve our bus infrastructure; the city centre rail re-signalling project, which will improve speeds on mainline rail in the greater Dublin area; a new central traffic control centre for the national rail network; infrastructure maintenance across the national rail network; additional Luas capacity with additional trams and longer trams on the Luas network; and continued planning and design for the new metro north.
Our roads development programme will see a total of €2.4 billion invested over the next four years. The bulk of the expenditure in the programme will be directed towards road maintenance and renewal and meeting contractual commitments under the road public private partnership programme. As regards regional and local roads, there will be a significant number of additional road upgrade schemes aimed at addressing safety, employment generation and support and urban regeneration to be advanced.
The improved funding levels will also allow for greater investment in cycling and walking routes in our main cities. The threefold increase in funding I secured will allow for planning and design work with commencement of an intensive construction programme in 2019.
In terms of climate change, I am setting aside €35 million over the next four years to back new ideas that will help decarbonise the transport sector, including pilot initiatives for low emission technologies. As part of a package of measures and incentives to accelerate the take-up of electric vehicles, I have secured funding for the National Transport Authority to allow it to introduce an electric vehicle taxi grant
In the area of tourism, I was pleased to announce a €30 million increase in funding available to support greenways development, while an additional €2 million is being allocated to promote digital investment in tourism marketing, which is important in the context of Brexit and the decline in visitors from Britain.
I thank the Minister. He failed to acknowledge that in 2010 Ireland recorded the lowest proportional capital spend in the EU on infrastructure. In fact, in 2015 only 53% of the necessary maintenance was carried out. He spoke about increased capital secured in the 2018 budget, but this is still 31% below what is needed just to keep our infrastructure in a steady state condition. We need to be far more ambitious than talking about keeping our infrastructure in a steady state condition. We need to plan to ensure the right investment is put into the right infrastructure. We do not know, for instance, the status of the DART underground. The Minister spoke about new projects that will be carbon friendly. What is the status of the DART underground? It is critical infrastructure which will enable us to connect all of our rail lines.
Only two weeks ago, the chairperson of Irish Rail came before the committee. He outlined the gaping need for additional funding if Irish Rail is to make the necessary investment in infrastructure to ensure we encourage more people to use public transport such as Irish Rail. When will the Minister publish his submission to the capital plan so we can have a real and meaningful debate in the House on the issue and not just six minutes on a priority question?
I ask Members to stick to the time limit.
I thank Deputy Troy for his response. He is right in all the facts which he has given. We had the lowest proportion in 2010, but the infrastructure was in a very precarious state.
As the Deputy said, we first need to tackle the business of the steady state. There is no point in introducing new and extravagant infrastructure when the roads are not up to par. I have spelled out very clearly some of the formidable and ambitious projects. We not just have ambition but will also deliver. The Deputy has seen what we said about BusConnects, which is a very imaginative programme. That programme will stretch over a number of years because of the amount of money we secured in the capital plan. The programme will revolutionise traffic in Dublin.
I have spelled out clearly the additional Luas capacity that is being introduced. That will sort out to a great extent the problem of the Luas on that route in Dublin. We are simultaneously addressing the legacy issues of the recession and the legacy issues of the steady state being inadequate, which will take until at least 2021, while at the same time initiating new imaginative capital projects which will go a long way to sorting out the problems, which are mostly problems of prosperity.
As people have persisted in going over time, this question is almost out of time.
While I may have said the figure I quoted related to 2010, it was in 2015 that Ireland recorded the lowest proportional capital spend in the EU. The Government is not being ambitious. When the European Commissioner for Transport, Ms Bulc, appeared before the Oireachtas committee she criticised the lack of engagement by the Government in seeking funding from the EU to make the necessary investment in infrastructure.
Someone stuck in the car coming in this morning, stuck in a crowded bus or having to stand on a train that is not on time, will not be too enamoured by the response the Minister has given me this morning. A six-minute dialogue and debate on this matter is not sufficient. In advance of the publication of the new capital plan, will the Minister secure sufficient time in this House to have a real debate on how we can access funding from the EU to ensure we make the investments needed in our public infrastructure today?
I constantly answer questions on this, not just here but in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. I think the Deputy will find that no other Minister has attended so often to answer questions specifically on the transport budget and other ancillary issues. I am willing to do so at any time. I am willing to converse with the Deputy, to receive delegations and engage about it at any stage.
If the Deputy does not believe it is ambitious, he should say so. I have said that in both the tourism and transport sectors we will spend large sums of money on infrastructure in the coming years. We have seriously ambitious plans. The Deputy should tell me if there is no imagination in the BusConnects project. There is imagination along with €800 million in funds to be spent there. The Deputy should tell me if there is no ambition in the tourism area and we can then address issues that are dear to the Deputy's heart. Additional money will not only be spent on the greenways, but also on new brands on tourism as well as going into well-established projects there.
Before calling Deputy Munster's Question No. 29, if Members are to speak as arranged - two and a half minutes over time on that particular question - there will be only one supplementary question and one response.
Services for People with Disabilities
Imelda Munster
Question:29. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on working towards a policy of full accessibility on public transport including private companies that provide public transport services; his plans to put such a policy on a statutory footing; if a policy of an increased number of unmanned train stations and DART stations is to be introduced; his further views on the introduction of a policy whereby disabled passengers are not required to make travel arrangements up to 24 hours in advance; the steps he will take to provide specific funding in the areas of train station accessibility, accessibility on trains including staffing and staff training to support disabled passengers, lifts and ramps on bus coaches in rural areas and infrastructure at bus stops and shelters to ensure that all passengers with a disability have full accessibility on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49602/17]
Is the Minister in favour of on working towards a policy of full accessibility on public transport including private companies that provide public transport services? Will he consider putting such a policy on a statutory footing? Is a policy of an increased number of unmanned train stations and DART stations is to be introduced? Does he favour the introduction of a policy whereby disabled passengers are not required to make travel arrangements up to 24 hours in advance of travel?
I will try to keep to the time. The Acting Chair might interrupt me because it is quite difficult to keep an eye on the clock at the same time.
Yes, I will.
My Department's high-level policy goal for accessible public transport is embodied in the concept of Transport Access for All. This policy is based on the provisions of the Disability Act 2005 and related Government strategies, in particular the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021, NDIS, launched by Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Finian McGrath, in July last. The NDIS includes a number of transport-related actions, for which my Department, the National Transport Authority, NTA, and-or passenger transport operators have lead responsibility for implementing.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy on and overall funding of public transport. The four-year capital envelope for public transport announced in budget 2018 includes a multi-annual allocation of almost €28 million for the accessibility retrofit programme for the period 2018 to 2021. This funding is a trebling of the previous allocation for accessibility under the capital plan. It relates to accessibility upgrades for existing older infrastructure and is additional to the investment in new infrastructure which, as a matter of course, is now designed to facilitate accessibility. The additional funding will facilitate the continued roll-out of the programmes to install accessible bus stops, upgrade train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and provide grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles into the taxi fleet.
The NTA, which has functional responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated accessible public transport network, and passenger transport operators are working to progress the transport actions under the NDIS. These actions are aimed at addressing the issues that the Deputy has raised.
Irish Rail hopes to commence a pilot project on the DART early in the new year aimed at reducing the period of advance notice for disabled passengers from 24 to four hours by guaranteeing staffing across grouped stations and ensuring flexibility to enable staff to move between stations to provide assistance. The NTA has also commenced a tender competition for medium-distance bus/coach-type vehicles which would allow unbooked wheelchairs to board with normal ramp access on Bus Éireann PSO services.
The Minister did not say whether he would favour putting a policy of full accessibility on a statutory footing. Of 144 Iarnród Éireann stations, 34 are unmanned and there are plans to increase that number. While I got a response to a parliamentary question on the matter yesterday, the company had stated it would review its staffing arrangements. There is no indication in its response and certainly none in the Minister's on the additional supports that will be made available for people with disabilities as a result of the change. There are no specifics; it is very vague. Does the Minister have or has he requested details on specific commitments so that people, particularly wheelchair users are not left sitting on platforms?
It is disingenuous for Deputy Munster to suggest we do not have commitment in this area. I respect that she has a commitment to it and she should acknowledge that we have allocated a greatly increased amount to disabilities in the plan. Trebling the amount is no mean achievement and shows no lack of commitment. It would be helpful if the Deputy acknowledged that. That money is very necessary. I, as Minister, am completely and utterly committed to this area.
The issue of unstaffed stations is a matter for the NTA and the company. If we find that the unstaffed stations are having a detrimental effect on people with disabilities, we should look at it very seriously. As the Deputy knows, plans are in place for the Iarnród Éireann pilot scheme to reduce the notice hours from 24 to four.
I ask the Minister a second time if he is in favour of a policy to put full accessibility on a statutory footing? I had asked if the Minister favoured a transport service with 100% accessibility for disabled passengers. When I talk about accessibility, I am not talking about something that is technically accessible on paper, but rather something that is actually accessible in a practical way. Does the Minister believe the current 24-hour notification is acceptable? I maintain that it is totally unacceptable.
Will the Minister confirm if coaches are required to comply with disability access regulations? Many disability groups are of the opinion that they are not, yet many private companies have been awarded State contracts. Will the Minister clarify those issues?
To answer to the Deputy's first question about the 24-hour notification, I believe that is unacceptable. I am delighted the NTA has approved a pilot project and that Iarnród Éireann is doing that. I hope it works and that it is followed by all the other companies. A 24-hour notification period is far too long. I want to see a transport system which treats and facilitates disabled people in exactly the same way that it treats people who are not disabled. That is the ambition we should be seeking to achieve. We do not currently have the infrastructure or the buses but we are moving in that direction. As the Deputy will probably know, the NTA currently has plans to purchase new buses, smaller to medium-sized single decker buses, which will facilitate people in wheelchairs whereby they will no longer have to register or queue in advance in that way. They will be available and accessible at the bus stops.
A question I asked three times was not answered. I asked if the Minister is favour of putting the policy on a statutory footing.
I am not the Minister. It is up to the Minister to answer the question.
Will the Acting Chairman ask the Minister to answer it? I asked him that question three times, in fairness.
Under Standing Orders, I am not allowed to. I will move on to Question No. 30.
Search and Rescue Service Provision
Robert Troy
Question:30. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his Department's role in the supervision and oversight of the search and rescue services; and if he is satisfied with the maps and navigational equipment that is provided to these services. [49604/17]
We had the devastating loss of the crew of Rescue 116 earlier this year and I am aware an investigation into that is currently ongoing. Therefore, it would be wholly inappropriate and insensitive of me to comment on that. Will the Minister indicate who has ultimate responsibility for the search and rescue helicopter service?
Under the Irish National Maritime Search and Rescue Framework, SAR framework, which was published in March 2010 by the then Minister for Transport, the Irish Coast Guard, as a division of the my Department, has responsibility for the co-ordination of maritime search and rescue, SAR, emergency response at sea and along the coasts and cliffs of Ireland, and on major inland lakes.
Under the framework, the safety regulation division of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has been assigned responsibility for the regulation and oversight of aircraft operations, including aeronautical search and rescue, within the State. In this context, the IAA issues a national SAR approval to CHCI DAC, that is the company, which is the operator contracted by the Irish Coast Guard to deliver this service. Through this practice, there is a system in place to validate the suitability of the CHCI SAR helicopters, crew, training and operational standards for SAR operations.
The IAA has legal responsibility for validating and approving aeronautical charts for publication, as defined by international standards agreed under the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The authority is a hugely respected organisation within international aviation, and it is subject to regular independent, outside audit.
The authority has advised me that there is no reason whatsoever for the Irish aviation community or emergency services to have any concerns about aeronautical maps and charts. All maps and charts produced meet the highest international standards.
I believe it is important to emphasise, and I know that the Deputy respects this from what he said in introducing his question, that there is an active investigation currently under way into the R116 accident off the Mayo coast which is being conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Unit, AAIU. The AAIU investigates on a wholly independent basis and is charged under domestic law and international obligations with examining all relevant issues it determines are pertinent to the incident it is investigating. While I understand the ongoing public interest in this matter, it is vital that the AAIU is given the time and space to do its work and report on its findings. As the investigation is still ongoing I can say no more about the issues surrounding it. Once the final report issues, all findings and recommendations will be pursued.
I will not refer to the devastating loss of Rescue 116 but the search and rescue service continues to operate. People continue to fly. It appears the Minister is saying that, under the legislation, it is his Department that has the legal responsibility for the search and rescue helicopter service. Will he confirm that by giving a "Yes" or "No" response to that question? Who has legal responsibility today for anybody currently working for the search and rescue service to ensure the equipment used by a crew meets and fulfils the safety needs?
With respect to charts and maps, in the Seanad in July 2017, the Minister said that all maps and charts now meet the highest international standards. Is he satisfied that all maps being used, and which pilots are legally required to use when flying, are up to proper standards?
I will answer the Deputy's second question first. The IAA carries out periodic comprehensive reviews of its NAV charts. The most recent comprehensive review was carried out between October 2016 and May 2017. It involved the Air Corps CHC pilot organisation and its associations. The review involved a series of technical workshops over a number of months attended by over 100 participants. There were 100 recommendations arising from the process and all were incorporated in the current charts which issued in June.
On an ongoing basis, if pilots spot an error in a chart, it should be reported through a dedicated email address at the IAA. This reporting procedure is set out in the charts. The IAA has received no error reports through this system since the new charts issued in June. There is also a separate confidential reporting, separate from the email route. The IAA advises that there have been a couple of such reports since June. These were examined and they did not give rise to any changes. Where an error is reported and considered to represent a safety risk, the IAA immediately issues a note down, which pilots are obliged to check. The IAA has advised me that it has a high level of confidence in its systems around NAV charts, and I have that confidence too.
I want to clear on this. The Minister is happy with the charts and the maps being used by our search and rescue personnel today. That is what he has said on the floor of the Dáil today.
Regarding the search and rescue service, I asked, under the legislation, is it the responsibility of the Minister's Department to ensure that everything is right and proper with the search and rescue services? Is it his Department responsibility to ensure that all the equipment a crew uses meets international best standards? If that is the case, if volunteers or staff notice defects and deficiencies in the service, what is the channel for them to make a complaint and how can we have confidence that their complaint will be dealt with to ensure that all international standards are being adhered to and met?
The position is very clear. The then Minister in 2010 signed off on a framework which was absolutely specific, namely, that the Coast Guard is responsible for all of the regulation around the coast and on the cliffs and the IAA oversees the aeronautical travel that is going on. That could not be clearer, and they are responsible for that. It is an organisation. That is the practice and that has been the practice ever since.
Is that on a legal footing?
Allow the Minister to respond without interruption.
That has been the accepted practice since 2010. The IAA is one of the most respected of the regulators of safety in the world. It was second in Europe last year and has been acknowledged by all the auditors. It is audited in the most stringent way, not only globally or nationally by my Department but also by the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, the European safety Organisation. To even question in any way what it is doing is dangerous and perhaps unhelpful in a situation which is extremely fragile and delicate.
I am questioning the legality of it.
Public Transport
Bríd Smith
Question:31. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the tendering process conducted by the National Transport Authority, NTA, for bus routes will help improve public transport and encourage persons to switch from private car transport; his further views on whether the tendering process will ensure there is not a race to the bottom in terms of workers pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49564/17]
I have asked the Minister about this issue before, but I am asking again given the recent results from the tender process in Waterford and the problems that have arisen in delivering a proper service in Bus Éireann since the strike ended.
As the Deputy will be aware, it is the responsibility of the National Transport Authority, NTA, to conduct the current public procurement process relating to the tendering out of 10% of the public service obligation, PSO, bus network. The NTA is undertaking this by way of three separate competitions: Dublin metropolitan, Dublin commuter and Waterford. It is well recognised that good public transport is a key enabler of both social inclusion and economic progress, and the progression of these competitions forms part of the Government's commitment to improving our public transport system and services. One of the objectives of the public procurement process is to bring about improvements and enhancements in how bus services are provided. The NTA has made it clear that it expects improved punctuality and reliability in particular as well as improvements in the customer service.
The NTA monitors all PSO services in Ireland and penalises operators if services fall below the contractual targets. This same approach will be taken with successful bidders in all three competitions. There are also incentives in the contract for beating punctuality targets. As quality of service is measurable, the NTA has set out in the contract the customer service levels expected, and the NTA will use the contract terms to drive up levels of customer service. All services operated under the new contracts will continue to be regulated by the NTA, as they are today. This means that Leap cards, the free travel pass, real-time information, the national journey planner etc. will all continue to operate on these services. The NTA has the statutory powers to determine fare levels, and will continue using its fares determination process to rationalise and improve the fare structure across all the different operators in the regulated bus market, including any new operators.
As the Deputy is aware, the PSO programme represents a significant expenditure of taxpayers' money. PSO subvention increased last year, again this year, and will increase yet further next year. Over the three years, PSO subvention will have increased by 35% in total. Taxpayers' contribution toward funding our PSO services is substantial.
Once again, I would love to have the job of whoever has the job of writing the Minister's scripts because it is always a fairy tale. It is probably done for children but it is certainly not done to address the questions I have asked. The Minister did not answer my question, just like he did not answer other Deputies' questions. The key point is that the Minister has said it is the responsibility of the NTA. Everything is the responsibility of somebody except the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Since the ending of the tough strike action taken by Dublin Bus workers to protect their jobs and pay earlier this year, services have been depleted and many workers are leaving the jobs. Many of the workers are under severe stress and strain because of the rosters they are provided with in the shoddy deal that was pushed on them because the Minister and others threatened that the company may be made insolvent. This rotten deal means that drivers are going around Dublin city having to walk from Busáras up to the Broadstone depot with bags of money, putting themselves at risk and under pressure to meet routes and timetables that do not work, are anti-family, are anti-social and are not delivering a public service. Will the Minister answer that, please?
Deputy Smith cannot expect me to agree with her and I do not. Putting these routes out to tender is not a wage deal at all. It is a matter of introducing competition into the market. It is not a wage deal, which is a separate issue that was discussed in a separate forum and where a settlement was reached to the satisfaction of all parties. That is not related to this particular issue. The point of competition in the market is for the benefit of customers and for the service to improve. The NTA will also regulate whoever wins the tender. This is to give more choice, to give a better service and to keep fares down. All services will continue to be regulated by the NTA under the new arrangements. The new arrangements will benefit the travelling public in a number of ways, which I do not have the time to go into now, but the Deputy knows them herself.
Once again, the Minister has completely ignored my question. Does he believe that this process of tendering will deliver public transport in a way that will take cars off the road and that will not drive wages and conditions of workers to the very bottom of a pit? The Minister has refused to answer this. The reality is that the conditions and rosters under which workers have been forced to live are driving down their lives and working conditions so badly that many of the workers are leaving. There are not enough buses and not enough workers. Competition does not deliver good public services. This is not Bríd Smith saying this. This is not rocket science. If we want good public services, they must be delivered with proper funding. The Minister brags about the public service obligation, PSO, increases, over recent years. I remind the Minister that the PSO for Bus Éireann is still about €9 million below what it was when the recession hit in 2009. It has never been restored.
I attended a conference recently on climate change. Ireland is appallingly bad at dealing with it. One of the key issues is that Ireland is not able to deliver decent public transport. In not doing so, we are breaching all of our commitments to dealing with climate change and our commitments to dealing with workers.
I will answer the Deputy's question. Do I hope this will take cars off the road? The answer is yes. Do not say that I am not answering the question. The answer is Y-E-S. I do hope it will do that. Does this answer the Deputy's question? Is that plain enough for her?
The Minister has just answered it.
It is absolutely absurd for Deputy Smith to say that. The workers and staff are protected under this particular scheme. There will not be redundancies as a result of putting this out to tender. There will be none, so for the Deputy to suggest that the workers are in some way being laid off, they are not. They have options under these schemes. They have options to have similar terms of employment and options to move. There are no redundancies, so do not tell me that they are threatened by this. The conditions of these schemes are written specifically to protect the staff.
Transport Infrastructure Provision
Catherine Connolly
Question:32. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the provision of a light rail system for Galway in view of climate change mitigation commitments; the key objectives of the national planning framework; the cost-benefit analysis undertaken in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49466/17]
I would like to take reassurance that not only has the Minister plans, but that he has seriously ambitious and imaginative plans in respect of public transport and to take cars off the road. In that context I ask the Minister about this matter.
I thank Deputy Connolly for her question. I am sure that the Deputy is aware that the transport strategy for Galway city was prepared by the National Transport Authority in partnership with Galway City Council and Galway County Council in 2016. The strategy set out an overall framework for the development of transport infrastructure and services in Galway city and its environs over a 20 year period. It was included in the new city development plan which was adopted by the city council and came into force in January 2017.
I understand that the issue of light rail was considered in the preparation of the transport strategy for Galway city, where it was concluded that there is insufficient demand to justify the significant additional cost of developing a light rail system and that bus-based public transport represents the most appropriate system for Galway over the period considered in this transport strategy. Accordingly, light rail was not taken forward for economic appraisal in the context of a cost-benefit analysis for this mode of transport. The transport strategy for Galway city also concluded that a high-quality bus-based public transport service will cater for the forecasted passenger demand and will provide significant flexibility in terms of network options and the ability to integrate with other modes. The implementation of this strategy is primarily a matter for the local authority to pursue.
The national planning framework is being developed at present under the leadership of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The framework is a long-term strategic planning framework which will guide national, regional and local planning and investment decisions over the period to 2040. In the context of the draft national planning framework and key future growth enablers for Galway, the plan recognises the need for provision of a citywide public transport network with enhanced accessibility between existing and proposed residential areas and the city centre and third level institutions and the employment areas to the east of the city. The current transport strategy for Galway city and background supporting analysis aligns to this need with its successors being guided by the national planning framework. I am conscious, in light in particular of the representations made to me not only by Deputy Connolly but other Deputies from Galway, that Galway is a microcosm of what is happening in other areas and that it is suffering in the area of traffic. I intend to regard it is a priority and to ensure that, as implied by the Deputy, it is not omitted from any of the schemes we are introducing to improve traffic and public transport nationwide.
I thank the Minister for clarifying that the reason there is no light rail in Galway is, officially, insufficient demand and that no economic or cost appraisal has ever been carried out in this regard. I ask the Minister to step outside his script and to revert to his response to an earlier question in which he spoke about seriously ambitious plans and imagination to lift cars off our roads.
I welcome the Minister's comment that Galway is a microcosm. Galway has a population of 80,000 and is one of the five cities destined to grow to a population of up to 120,000. In the words of Conor Faughnan, AA Ireland's director of consumer affairs, traffic congestion problems in a modestly sized city like Galway are embarrassingly bad. He has also spoken of the provision of light rail being an important part of the solution. Some 176 cities throughout Europe have embraced light rail or tram services. I ask the Minister to go back to his imagination and determination and to comment on the provision of a light rail service as the most sustainable solution to traffic congestion in Galway, while allowing us to comply with our commitments under climate change.
I take the Deputy's point about imagination and ambition. The problem is that we do not have money. Light rail was found to be too ambitious in terms of a lack of market demand for it. If there is a business case for it, we will look at the issue again. The decision was made that there was not a good business case for light rail at the time. There is definitely an attempt to address the issues of Galway and to do so in the context of the national planning framework. The framework sets out the key future growth enablers for Galway in the area of public transport as follows: progressing the sustainable development of new greenfield areas for housing; development of supports for public transport and infrastructure; improving access and sustainable transport links through integration with existing employment areas to the east of Galway city and provision of citywide public transport network with enhanced accessibility between the existing and proposed residential areas and the city centre.
The Minister started well but then reverted to his script. I refer the Minister to the position of management in Galway that there is no demand for park-and-ride facilities either, notwithstanding that the elected members included as an objective in the city development plan 2005 the provision of such facilities. Management believe we must wait for demand. I am asking Deputy Ross, as Minister with responsibility for this area, and as a man with imagination and determination, to consider the provision of light rail for Galway as the most imaginative and sustainable solution to the traffic mess there, in addition to park-and-ride facilities and an integrated public transport system. Unless he does this, he will be only paying lip-service to sustainable development, which is enshrined in the draft national planning framework, and lip-service to our commitments to reduce emissions and take cars off our roads.
Earlier, the Minister forcibly told a Deputy that he wants to take cars off the roads. We have stale male - I use those words advisedly - in respect of leadership in Galway in terms of a solution. What we need is an imaginative green way forward that will put Galway on the map and on a level with all other European cities, some of them of equal size.
If the Deputy can make a fresh case for light rail which makes economical commercial sense I will be very happy to discuss it with her. As the Deputy is aware, we have limited funds. If she can make a case that is convincing and stands up to scrutiny I will be delighted to review it with her.
On the budget, regional cities and an environmentally-friendly solution, the Deputy knows the direction in which we are going. We are doing real things in this area. We do have ambition and we are putting it into effect. Our plans are not Dublin-centric. Budget 2018 provided a four-year capital envelope for public transport of more than €2.7 billion to 2021. This allows an investment of over €110 million over the next four years in cycling and walking infrastructure not only in the Dublin area but in Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford as well. Sustainable urban transport is the way forward in all of the cities of Ireland.
Members who go over time are not giving other Members an opportunity to have their questions answered. I must ask Members to stick to the time allocated.