Vol. 1054 No. 3
58. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Transport to outline the way in which southern ports will be supported in marshalling parts and assembling turbines for offshore wind power generation in relation to the newly published draft south coast designated maritime area plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21970/24]
I congratulate the Minister and his Department on the work done on the designated maritime area plan, DMAP, which was published recently. There is more work do to there. However, my question today has to do with the southern ports. The Minister will be aware that Doyle Shipping Group has pulled out of anything to do with offshore wind and assembly of turbines. The Port of Cork has planning permission in place, which runs out next year. It needs funding to carry on with the development to take part in the construction, assembly and deployment of turbines.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am committed to facilitating the commercial State ports under my remit as positive contributors to the offshore renewable energy, ORE, industry to support Ireland in meeting its ambitious targets of 5 GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030, with a further 2 GW in development for the production of green hydrogen and other non-grid uses. Supporting the development of port infrastructure is a core objective of the national offshore wind delivery task force and the Department is working very closely with the task force in this regard.
In 2021, the Department published a policy statement on the facilitation of ORE by commercial ports in Ireland. This policy statement emphasises the importance of port facilities for ORE developments. A dedicated ORE ports facilitation division has been established in the Department to facilitate ports as they progress plans to service the offshore wind industry.
I welcome the recent publication of the draft south coast designated maritime area plan, SC-DMAP, by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications which recognises ports as a key component within the ORE supply chain. The presence of a significant number of strategically positioned ports, including the Port of Cork, within proximity to the south coast, speaks to this region’s potential to become a focal point for offshore wind development. I anticipate the development of the SC-DMAP will help to establish a stable, commercial environment for investments in port development by providing a transparent pipeline of proposed future fixed offshore wind projects. The Department will continue to support southern State ports through regular engagement and exploration of financing options with a view to maximising all opportunities for commercial State ports. This includes potential financing partners such as the EU through the Connecting Europe Facility, CEF, Fund, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and the European Investment Bank. This can be evidenced by the assistance given to ports that applied for funding under the 2023 call for the EU’s CEF Fund to further their offshore wind projects.
The situation is extraordinarily serious. Planning in place in the Port of Cork runs out next year and it may be very hard to extend it or get new planning. The rubber is hitting the road very quickly because the port needs funding very soon to expand. Will the Minister of State tell me where that money is going to come from? That is the bottom line here. We were told the port needs up to €120 million to develop properly. With Doyle Shipping Group off the pitch now, it means there will be no facility on the south coast, unless the Port of Cork can get moving. Does the Minister of State agree?
The Port of Cork needs Government support. Above all, it needs clarity and confidence pretty soon because time is running out. Talk of ISIF, the EIB and so on is all very well but what is needed are certainty and decisions. Can the port get the funding and, if so, from where? It is a State company and I understand state aid is an issue. Unless clarity is given, the fantastic plans we have for offshore wind may on the south coast may not be realised. That is why I tabled this question and it is why I raised the matter as a Topical Issue recently. I am still waiting for answers.
I will conclude what I was about to say and then respond to the Deputy's direct question.
The Port of Cork has been assisted by Department officials in applying for the EU's Connecting Europe Facility. We provided support and guidance on those applications. This can help the port obtain 30% of the costs for infrastructure and up to 50% of the costs for other studies. The results of these calls are expected in June or July of this year. We are working with the port on that. Furthermore, the Department of Transport signed an advisory agreement with the European Investment Bank. This output will be crucial to identifying how Irish ports will contribute to the meeting of our 2030 offshore targets
The results of the call will be announced in June. We are working with the Port of Cork with a view to ensuring this progresses. That is the current context. The Connecting Europe Facility has a clear role to play in the context of the infrastructure that is required. This development is key in ensuring wider progress offshore.
The Minister of State gives me only some comfort because he stated, and he can correct me if I am wrong, that the port can obtain 30% of the costs. That is not enough. It needs 100% of the cost to have certainty. There are many companies looking at this and making serious investment decisions to the tune of billions of euro. We need clarity here. The Minister of State said we are going to have 30% of the cost, but there still is not clarity. Can the Port of Cork enter into a public private partnership, PPP, with the private sector, if that is possible, to get the funding to carry out the essential work that is needed? Members of the Oireachtas committee went to Belfast where we found they are way ahead of us. We do not want a situation where many of the turbines will be assembled in France or Wales and towed over to Cork, resulting in the loss of jobs in the Cork and south coast area. We need clarity. I implore both the Minister and Minister and State to put their minds to this. The great plans we have for offshore wind cannot and will not happen unless this is sorted quickly.
There is a need to ensure progress on this. We are engaging regularly with the Port of Cork on its needs, both in meetings and through correspondence, in respect of the proposed development at Ringaskiddy. There is extensive engagement with the corporate governance division on the financing needs of the port. The offshore renewable energy ports division, which was established last year, has also been extensively engaging with the Port of Cork on this matter in the context of the CEF, but also on the timelines the Deputy set out.
The bottom line for the Government is to ensure that we make progress on this and meet our objectives on offshore renewable energy. We are obviously working with the Port of Cork on that. It has various financing options, some in the private sector and some through the Connecting Europe Facility, potentially. A decision will be made on that and communicated to us very soon. We are continuing with this and we obviously want to see progress on this to ensure we meet the objectives set out in the 2030 targets.
59. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the 103 Bus Éireann bus service; its performance standard and plans to improve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22082/24]
I ask the Minister for an update on the 103 Bus Éireann service which services Ratoath and Ashbourne to and from Dublin, its performance standard and plans to improve it, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am very aware of the ongoing issues with the 103 Bus Éireann service in Meath, which was particularly bad in September and October last year, and the negative impact that was having on the travelling public. Unfortunately, these issues were exacerbated by ongoing challenges the public transport sector is facing in the recruitment of both mechanics and drivers. However, I am pleased to advise that due to extensive driver recruitment campaigns undertaken by Bus Éireann in recent months, this is now becoming less of an issue.
I understand that route 103 can be negatively impacted by traffic congestion at various locations along the route. This is an increasingly frequent operational challenge for Bus Éireann and other transport operators, which is leading to service delays. For example, there are ongoing roadworks in both Ashbourne and Ratoath, which are impacting punctuality and running times. While significant cancellations occurred last year, as I said, I have been advised by Bus Éireann that so far this year, 97% of scheduled services on route 103 have operated fully.
I am advised that the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann have initiated an action plan for this year to address the service issues in Meath, and both are monitoring and reviewing passenger numbers in the area to identify opportunities to increase capacity, where possible, in light of service delivery issues. I understand that on 28 April, route 103 underwent a timetable refresher to alleviate some of the issues on the service. I am further advised that all of the Bus Éireann routes on the M2 and M3 corridors are scheduled for punctuality reviews this summer.
I reassure the Deputy that the NTA and my Department will continue to monitor service delivery closely and that the NTA, in conjunction with our operators, is working to ensure the optimised deployment of resources to match changing passenger demand patterns.
I received a similar response directly from Bus Éireann earlier this week. It stated that so far in 2024, over 97% of scheduled route 103 services have operated fully. Anybody who uses that service will hear that as an insult to their intelligence. I will give today as an example. Three services have been cancelled, namely, the 8.58 a.m., the 9.22 a.m. and the 10 a.m. services. It is now 11.05 a.m. That will likely continue for the rest of the day and that is the pattern. While I acknowledge that the service is not as bad as it was in autumn last year, it is nowhere near where it needs to be. In my opinion, that 97% figure is nowhere near correct. The question that has to be asked is how Bus Éireann has come up with those figures. We know it is adding additional services with coaches, for example, instead of double-decker buses. Does that count as operating fully? It leaves people at the side of the road and it is not good enough. It is causing huge frustration and needs to be addressed immediately.
I agree with the Deputy. It is not acceptable for passengers to be left waiting at the side of the road for the next bus. That is deeply frustrating, and it is not good enough. We have to make sure, through the NTA, that Bus Éireann is pushed so that the services improve. There are various ways we can do that. As I said, the first key issue is with mechanics and drivers. There has been significant action in that regard. Bus Éireann has recruited some 500 drivers since last year. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has issued 1,500 worker permits and licences so that we can have people coming from outside the EU to help us meet the key skills shortage, which is in mechanics. A service may be withdrawn if the bus is not properly maintained. Investing in mechanics is the second key measure.
The third measure we need to work on as part of the wider transport strategy is to promote road space allocation so buses do not get stuck in traffic. This is one of the reasons there is such difficulty with many of the timetables. This measure involves difficult political decisions where we have to reallocate road space, which we all know is not popular in the short term. In the long run, and even in the short- to medium-term, it is the only and best way to make the best use of the drivers and mechanics we have to ensure buses are not stuck in traffic. Through that combination of measures, I believe we can address the problem.
Representatives of the service providers appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications last week. One of the asks they had of the Department, the Minister and his ministerial colleague was that a co-ordinated approach be taken to address the shortage of drivers and craft workers, involving SOLAS, the education and training boards, ETBs, and the National Apprenticeship Office.
That could be appropriately anchored in the Minister's Department. Perhaps it is something he can pursue.
I have a question specifically on the 103 route and the Townsend Street stop. There is confusion about whether that stop has now been dropped. Is it going to be dropped? Many people use it and need it. It seems that, from time to time or quite regularly, Bus Éireann skips that stop to make up time. It is fined by the NTA if it does that. It is a significant frustration for people who use that stop. There is uncertainty about that. Could I get clarification on it? If not today, can the Minister come back about it?
I do not have the details of that stop, so I will have to come back to the Deputy directly on that. I do not have information about the plans for that stop. On the wider issue the Deputy raised about enhancing the ability to get drivers and mechanics, I am open to all initiatives and suggestions. Bus Éireann has looked at a variety of different ways. We have looked at moving some of the maintenance services from Broadstone, which is the service depot for these routes, to other Bus Éireann depots that may have a service capability. Bus Éireann has engaged with external contractors to try to enhance and complement services. There is a significant recruitment and training process under way. There are four to six vacancies in the Broadstone Bus Éireann depot, but I understand they are due to be filled. We have also looked at a variety of ways of training drivers from B licences up to D licences to be able to enhance that role. We are doing everything we can on the training and deployment side of mechanics and drivers to address the issue. I am confident that Bus Éireann will overcome the difficulties it has had.
61. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the progress made in considering the all-island strategic rail review since the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly; when it is hoped to approve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22041/24]
What progress has been made in considering the strategic rail review since the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly? Will the Minister give some indication of when this rail review, which everyone has been waiting for for a long time, will finally be published?
I will not read out the written response because it is very similar to what Deputy Marian Harkin would have heard only a few minutes ago.
Unfortunately, I was chairing a committee at that stage.
It will be available to the Deputy in written format in any case. If I can answer his question directly, the strategic rail review has been very public for over a year and a half. We had to go to a strategic environmental assessment. We decided that, in advance of the Assembly returning in the North, we would publish it because we had to go into that public consultation, so the details are very clear. That consultation process has finished. In the coming weeks, we will, in my mind, subject to our Northern colleagues also agreeing it, be able to publish and then really focus on the delivery end. We need to deliver now. To do that, we have employed the European Investment Bank, EIB, to do a review of how we would prioritise which projects to deliver.
I will focus on one aspect of this which I think the Deputy will be interested in, namely, the western rail corridor. It is probably one of the more contentious elements because in the past, and up to this date, when you asked the system if we should reopen the western rail corridor, it would say it does not make economic sense and the business case is desperate. I think it was looked at with too narrow a focus, just at passenger rail services, which we need to reintroduce on the line, but it did not take into account the potential development of rail freight as an option the country. That would make the economic case for the western rail corridor, not just on the section from Athenry to Claremorris, but a much wider western rail corridor, running all the way from Ballina, down the west coast to Limerick and then to Waterford and Wexford. In that context, it makes strategic sense.
I hope to make that case in the coming months and to move the project up the prioritisation order as part of our balanced regional development and economic revival of the west. I will do so because I believe industries will want to come where there is a decarbonising option and high-quality public transport and rail freight services which allow economic development to occur on the western rail corridor. That is not the conventional wisdom and it is not commonly accepted, but I believe that argument needs to be had and made in the coming months so we give a clear signal that this economic project will go ahead with priority.
It is a relatively recent invention of Government that the purely economic case of everything has to be justified. There are many things we do in society for societal good that do not make economic sense but they make social sense, regional balance sense and common sense, which is becoming very uncommon. Will the Minister outline the procedures? He has outlined the first one, where he has asked the European Investment Bank to look at this. Will he outline the procedures we will have between now and making firm decisions that various projects are going ahead under the strategic rail review?
I agree with the Deputy fully. I would add the environmental issue to his list of common-sense considerations we have to take into account. The opponents of investing in rail freight argue that it is not economic and does not make sense, but they do not answer the question of how they intend to decarbonise our haulage system and do not take that into account as a key strategic objective that we have to meet, as well as the other ones the Deputy mentioned with regard to better balanced regional development, social advancement and so on. That is the key issue that will get the western rail corridor over the line. The EIB project is short. It is to set out an implementation plan for the strategy. It will be concluded quickly. That has not stopped us. I am focusing on the western rail corridor because I know the Deputy has a personal interest in it and has been committed to it for a long time. That has not stopped us, this spring, from starting to clear the line.
It is similar to what we did with the reopening of the Shannon-Foynes line. We started to get a much better assessment of the state of the line and what would be required to reopen it. We have not just sat and waited for reports to conclude. We have started to take action. What you realise when you do that is that the line is in a much better state than people might think. The planning obstacles are much less compared with other projects because it is within the curtilage of an existing Irish Rail corridor. It is much easier and quicker to restore such lines than people previously thought. We saw that in Foynes and I think we can see the same with the western rail corridor.
I provided funding of, I think, €5 million to clear the line from Collooney, all the way down to the CLÁR area boundary, which was south of Claremorris, back in 2006. What we need now is construction. We know the line is intact. We have been trying to explain that for a long time. It is intact from Collooney. That section of the line was cleared last year, but perennially clearing the line is not building the line.
I have an interesting question for the Minister. The biggest cost inhibitor is what is called building inflation. Can the Minister tell me what building inflation has been since the strategic rail review started three or four years ago? What would it cost to do the work now compared with what it would have cost if we had done it two years ago, with the rail review, strategic process and so on only taking two years? The reality is that the thing that is running away with this all the time, as the Minister knows, is cost inflation in construction, not all these reports and so on. They are not saving us any money. They are actually costing us money by delaying. When the rail review was started, what would the project for the western rail corridor have cost? Has there been 20% or 30% building inflation? I think that is a fair and relevant question.
I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for the question. My interest is also in the western rail corridor. The Minister mentioned freight being part of it and that the analysis around all of that may bring that economic argument across the line. I feel another problem we have with it is that when an analysis is done of passenger numbers, it is done in much too narrow a scope. For instance, when I lived not far from the Sligo-Dublin rail line, people got on and off the train from Dublin in Dromod in County Leitrim. Many of them are from as far away as west Cavan because it is the nearest railway to them. That is the same situation as in many of these cases, where the analysis is done in a tight, narrow framework along the rail line. It needs to be much broader than that. The experience has always been that when you link centres of economic activity, whether Galway to Limerick or Dublin to Sligo, you will see people use that facility. We have a centre of economic activity in Sligo which we intend to build and grow.
One of the obvious ways of doing that is to put the rail line up that far. It is a very short journey going past an international airport. Ireland West Airport is right on the edge of this rail line. There is no reason to suggest that this should not be done. I acknowledge Deputy Harkin's statement about the competition that exists from people who want to see a greenway there. We also need greenways but we must give priority to national infrastructure and put our rail lines back in place for everyone in Ireland.
I will try to give Deputies Martin Kenny and Ó Cuív the same clarity I gave to Deputy Harkin earlier. The rail review does not propose the reintroduction of the line to Collooney. I believe in those contexts it is better to keep the line as a greenway. This is a 30-year investment timeline.
To answer Deputy Ó Cuív's question about the inflation aspect, we must think about this over a 30-year period. The cost is roughly €1 billion a year over that period. In that regard, inflation has been acute in the past two to three years, but this is a longer term strategic issue.
To answer the Deputy Kenny's question about passenger numbers, I agree that the evidence is not what was expected. When we opened the line from Ennis to Galway, the passenger numbers far exceeded the levels predicted by those who doubt public transport, which is very attractive to Irish people. They want a good public transport service. I am concentrating on the rail freight issue because of the economics of the project and the fact that the economic development opportunity for the west in a decarbonised haulage system is far greater. What we need to do immediately is to order wagons so that we can start the rail freight revival in Waterford Port and Shannon Foynes Port, but also through Dublin Port and other locations. That then gives us a wider network that will allow the western rail corridor to start to come into play because it will be possible to export through Foynes, through this network, or through Rosslare or Dublin. It is a natural interconnected system. The benefit is that the new rail freight wagons travel at the same speed as passenger services, so we can run the two on the same line. They complement and do not interrupt each other.
I will come back to the point that this is contested. Not everyone agrees. As Deputy Ó Cuív says, it requires us to take a slightly big, bold, longer term vision. If we go to talk to all those businesses, which I am sure he does, along the western rail corridor, and ask if they want a low-carbon haulage solution - they have an obligation to be zero carbon in their operations - the answer will be "Yes". People think that the current system is economic because they are judging it on a historical fossil fuel transport system. We are switching to an electric system. We must do that in order to decarbonise our transport system. In those circumstances, the likes of Marshall Yard, Claremorris, Crossmolina or another location will actually give us a system that I believe can work. The European Investment Bank is going to assess that recommendation, which was included in the strategic rail review. The review will be concluded very quickly, within a matter of months, not years, and then we need to start making economic investment decision in our ports, on the railway freight wagons and on the reopening of that line because it is a network system. That missing piece kills the network benefits, in particular for Mayo and Galway, and those counties in the north west. That is why I think it is critical issue that we need to collectively consider in the coming months. We must come to a decision on it.
63. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport following the recent European Commission's Regional Competitiveness Index report, where the northern and western region of Ireland was ranked 218th out of 234 regions, if he will commit to improving the northern and western region’s transport infrastructure ranking; if so, how he intends on improving the region's ranking in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18095/24]
In light of the recent European Commission's regional competitiveness index report, where the northern and western region was ranked 218th out of 234 regions, will the Minister commit to improving the transport infrastructure ranking of the northern and western region? If so, how does he intend to do it?
I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to improving transport infrastructure throughout the country, but most especially in the northern and western region. That commitment is evidenced by actual delivery of projects on the ground.
The index referred to by the Deputy measures a much wider range of indicators than just infrastructure and, on the basis of the complete index, the region is actually ranked higher. I also note that the road, rail and aviation elements of the index are all based off data collected in 2018 and 2019, which obviously predates this Government.
There has been a significant programme of road improvements across the region since 2020. Since 2021, four significant schemes have opened to the public. These are the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin road, the N5 Westport to Turlough road, the N59 Moycullen bypass and the final phase of the N56 Dungloe to Glenties road. In addition to those schemes, construction is under way on the N5 Ballaghadereen to Scramoge road, while the Donegal TEN-T road scheme has reached the preliminary business case stage. I met with some councillors from the region last week to confirm our commitment to these projects.
There is a wide range of other schemes across the region at earlier stages of planning and design. I also note that the road accessibility metric used in the index predates the roll-out of Connecting Ireland, which is supporting new and enhanced public bus services on the road network across the region.
On rail, recent years have seen continued investment in the existing rail network in the region, as well as timetable improvements introduced for the region in the years since the data was collected for the index, including most recently in the new timetable introduced in December. More significantly, this Government launched the first ever all-island strategic rail review, which we just discussed. That has proposals for better rail connectivity in the region. I look forward to bringing the review to the Government shortly.
On aviation, my Department's Regional Airports Programme 2021 to 2025 provides direct capital investment and operational supports to Donegal and Ireland West airports, and public service obligation, PSO, air services between Donegal and Dublin. Under the regional airports programme, since 201, almost €9.44 million has gone to Donegal Airport and more than €39.42 million to Ireland West Airport.
These are only some of the various projects. I believe our national planning framework is correct. We need better balanced regional development, in particular in the north and west.
The Minister says the Government is committed to improving transport infrastructure in the north west. One of the projects he mentions is the N4. That was promised when I was chairperson of the Council for the West back in 1996. If we go back to the NDP in 2000, we see all of these projects promised in it. If we go back to the NDP for 2007 to 2013, all of these projects were also promised. I am talking about the completion of the N17 from Charlestown to Sligo. The Minister mentioned the Donegal TEN-T project. It is still not up and running despite the fact that it was in a national development plan in 2000. We have the upgrade of the Sligo-Dublin rail link and the Galway ring road. All of these projects were included in those plans and we are still hearing promises that the Government is committed to delivering them. However, we are not seeing delivery at the pace that is needed. That is why the European Commission has ranked the region in the bottom 10% across the EU. I do not see an absolute commitment to front-loading these projects and moving them forward. I see the same slow pace. We get a bit here and a bit there, but that is not balanced regional development.
First, there was a huge expansion in our capital ambition, in particular in regard to investments in transport for which I have responsibility in the NDP. We got an allocation of €35 billion which I think actually exceeds the allocation for housing. Two Departments were prioritised by the Government. One was housing and the other, on the capital side, was the transport sector. There is €100 billion worth of projects. Even back then there was €100 billion of projects in development and planning. We will not be able to deliver all €100 billion worth in the timeframe of the existing NDP. That is why I think the 30-year horizon that is being taken by the strategic rail review is more effective. We must be honest and say it will take a number of decades.
In terms of actual delivery, most Deputies in this House would recognise that nothing has been as successful as the Connecting Ireland facility in enhancing and supporting public transport in rural Ireland. I go around the country a lot. I have visited every single county and I have talked to councils. They all say that it is has been an incredible success. It has been a game-changer in terms of the capability of rural public transport systems to work and it has demonstrated an incredible public popularity for them.
However, going beyond that, as I said last week, I will take one example of the various projects, the TEN-T project in Donegal. Of all the counties, the one that has been most disadvantaged by a lack of connectivity is Donegal. It stands out in a whole variety of different ways. In that regard-----
I thank the Minister. He can come back in again.
-----we are going full steam ahead with the TEN-T projects. They include the road from Lifford to Letterkenny, the Manorcunningham to Letterkenny road and the bypass of Stranorlar and Ballybofey. What I said to the councillors I met last week, who are interested in the project, is that we will do everything to advance that project as fast as we can because it is an example of the projects that we do need to see delivered.
I keep hearing that the Government will do everything in its power to advance these projects as fast as it can. That is what we hear all the time in the region. The Minister tells me about the big pot of money out there that is going to be spent. That is not my question. My question is, where is it being spent? Where is it being delivered?
I agree with the Minister on the rural transport issue. I absolutely agree about Connecting Ireland but I am talking about the big infrastructure projects. What I want to hear is that front-loading will occur for a region that over the past 25 years has been lagging further and further behind when it comes to infrastructure.
The European Commission told us we are in the bottom 10%. There are some very poor regions across Europe. We are not comparing here with regions in Ireland. We are comparing with regions all across Europe. Any Government should be ashamed of that fact when we talk about this being one of the richest countries in Europe. I want to see action, not more promises.
I will give the Deputy one example, because she talks about big projects. From memory, the Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge road, not by act of nature, is a single carriageway of approximately 35 km. It is costing the guts of half a billion euro and pretty much a doubling of the previous contract, which, unfortunately, was not able to be concluded because the contractor went out of business. If one were looking for an example of Government commitment to this region, that was a significant investment. It was a significant budget ask but the Government did not flinch in recognising, as the Deputy says, we must promote connectivity in the north west. We had that project at contract stage and we made the decision to proceed. That is one example among many that I could cite.
The real test will come, as I said, in the coming months as regards who agrees with the western rail corridor and this revival of rail freight as one example of a further investment in the north west that we need to make
64. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 20 March 2024, the status of the roll-out of park and ride in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21901/24]
Tá mé ag díriú isteach ar chúrsaí páirceála agus taistil i nGaillimh. Tá mé ag iarraidh a fháil amach stádas na bpleananna chun córas páirceála agus taistil a chur i bhfeidhm. I stand here 20 years after the city development plan, which became law on 1 February for that plan, put in two objectives, east and west of the city, to roll out park and ride. Twenty years and three months later, nothing has been rolled out. If the Minister could give me an update on the progress now, I would appreciate that.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The NTA is leading the development and roll-out of strategic park and ride nationwide through its park and ride development office.
The NTA established the park and ride development office in February 2020 and it has been included in the climate action plan since 2019. The function of the office is to enable the delivery of park and ride sites by the NTA in collaboration with local authorities and transport operators, such as Iarnród Éireann, across the country. Through the park and ride development office, full-time specialist resources are now employed on such projects.
The park and ride development office has developed a park and ride strategy for Galway. That park and ride strategy envisages the development of up to five bus-based strategic park and ride sites - three for initial development and two for future development - and the expansion of rail-based park and ride site at Oranmore station.
Work by the park and ride development office is ongoing in relation to proposed bus-based park and ride sites on the N6, at the junction 19 Oranmore exit, and the N83, just north of Claregalway. Planning for enhanced rail infrastructure to facilitate the expansion of rail-based park and ride at Oranmore station is separately being undertaken by Iarnród Éireann in conjunction with the NTA.
Work on the remaining proposed sites will commence at a future date as they are highly dependent upon the delivery of bus priority along the relevant connecting corridors.
Overall, I welcome these developments. I share the Deputy's frustration. I look forward to the projects progressing at these strategic locations to help reduce the distance travelled by car, with a corresponding reduction in carbon emissions and congestion.
I know the Minister shares my frustration. The reason I mentioned the 20 years is because the people of Galway had foresight at that point 20 years ago and said that this was one integral part of the solution to Galway City's traffic. The other part, of course, is light rail - my question later on will not be reached. In the meantime, the traffic congestion has built up and the feeling of frustration by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians is overwhelming in our beautiful city.
On park and ride, 20 years later I welcome that there is now a park and ride office. I welcome that the NTA is looking at. There are five sites. No progress would seem to have been made, according to the Minister's answer, in relation to the site on the western Barna side - Cappagh Road - although I have a more hopeful response from the NTA that it is now actively looking at that. Could the Minister talk to me about that? Can the Minister give me some timelines as to when we will see park and ride sites on the east and west of the city as an integral part of the solution - just one part - to the traffic congestion in Galway?
I will go into some of the detail that I have been informed of by the NTA on those three sites. First, in regard to the N6 at junction 19, a 550-space site, the site selection process has led to two emerging site options at this junction. It looks now likely that a compulsory purchase order may be required irrespective of which site is selected. Following a finalisation of the site selection process, which is expected in the next two months, the park and ride development office will commence design on the selected site with a view to preparing planning consent and the compulsory purchase order documentation later this year to be delivered, subject to planning consent, and works to start building next year. Second, on the N6, because of the approach including a roundabout, there will be a need for bus priority in the westbound direction, probably in the form of hard-shoulder bus-running, and provision for that bus priority will be critical for the project to be able to be developed. In relation to site 2, at the N83 at Claregalway, of 320 spaces, two possible site locations have been identified. Discussions with the relevant landowners are about to commence to see whether those sites could be acquired by agreement rather than compulsory purchase order.
I thank the Minister.
I am sorry about this. I will finish, if I can. On site 3, the one the Deputy specifically asks about, the discussions are ongoing with Galway City Council in relation to a potential site along the Cappagh Road on the western side of the city. It is understood that lands in public ownership may be available in the vicinity of this location. Discussions are advancing to investigate the feasibility of park and ride measures which leverage the provision of planned bus priority measures at Gort Na Bro and other wider bus priority measures.
As I said, the other two sites are further off. It is critical that we develop these first three, which, as I set out, are at advanced stages of planning.
I thank the Minister for the clarification on the Cappagh site. It is a priority because originally there was no plan coming from that side. I am glad to hear that. Although it is small, and much smaller than the other ones, it is also publicly owned.
I despair at the lack of action in relation to this. I keep telling the Minister that it is 20 years since we put the objectives in. Five or more years ago, 24,000 people signed a petition looking for a feasibility study for light rail and here we are, in 2024, still waiting on that feasibility study. I heard my colleague behind me refer to the outer bypass. It was never going anywhere. My difficulty with the outer by-pass was the failure to do other parallel changes to Galway city. We have a city that at peak times is absolutely choked with traffic. It has been allowed to get worse.
We need urgent action in relation to park and ride for people coming in from Connemara. I welcome the small site. I would hope that it would be top, not bottom, of the list for the NTA now. Obviously, the other two sites, which are very big sites, are also very welcome.
I am over time. Considering the 20-year background, when will we see park and ride operating?
First, I agree with the Deputy. I have a concern that the waiting for a Galway outer bypass may have seen the authorities not put push the delivery of the public transport and active travel solutions which, I believe, will be critical to turning around Galway's transport difficulties and providing a system that works. The site the Deputy mentions in the west is, to my mind, a particular example of that because I understand the local authority may own the lands which could be used as a potential site.
I believe we should advance the various public transport and park and ride measures such as these, regardless of what the local authority or other authorities are looking at in terms of an outer ring road around Galway. Listing the details of where those three projects are at, they are very much now within the stage of going to compulsory purchase order, going to site acquisition or, in the case of the western part of the city, the local authority making a decision as to whether it wants to use its publicly-owned land in that regard or await some other development.
65. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide on update on what engagement his Department has had with Bus Éireann to address the impact of the shortage of drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22022/24]
Will the Minister provide an update on what engagement his Department has had with Bus Éireann to address the impact of the shortage of drivers on the service?
I thank the Deputy for highlighting one of the biggest ongoing challenges facing the public transport sector. I confirm that my Department continues to engage extensively with the NTA and operators on this issue.
Unfortunately, it is the case that many operators, both public and private, continue to experience difficulties in recruiting new drivers. In its attempts to attract new drivers to the company in the numbers required, Bus Éireann has undertaken significant driver recruitment campaigns in recent months, engaged in press activation, introduced an employee referral programme, and run more than 30 open days to attract drivers. Bus Éireann has also set up dedicated training schools in counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford to train drivers who have B class car licences to achieve the requisite D class licence to drive a bus. I am pleased to advise that the driver pipeline is building slowly due to the growing focus that the company has placed on B licence drivers and that the combination of these efforts has resulted in nearly 500 new drivers being recruited by the company since the beginning of last year. However, the situation remains challenging and, despite these efforts, Bus Éireann has advised that it still has some 66 vacancies throughout the country.
In the short term, Bus Éireann continues to build a pool of candidates that can be trained to become bus drivers but until all these positions are filled, Bus Éireann will be challenged in delivering services. Bus Éireann, and other transport operators in the country, have been working hard to fill bus driver positions as evident from their comprehensive recruitment campaigns. The NTA meanwhile continues to work closely with all operators to try to mitigate the impacts of these driver shortages and will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.
I was in the training centre in Cork last year. It was very impressive to see the plans there. It is to be hoped that these will bear fruit in producing extra drivers to fill those vacancies. I read an article earlier this month in which Bus Éireann CEO Stephen Kent said that approximately 2,000 extra drivers were required. I assume that is building on the future improvements with BusConnects and so on. As the Minister said, we are well short of that and are struggling to recruit what is currently required.
The big difficulty I have, speaking with my Cork North-Central hat on, is with the 214 bus service in Glanmire, where I live. It has been described nationally as the worst performing route in the country as regards buses turning up on time or at all. When we talk to Bus Éireann about it, it blames traffic congestion - a lot of construction is going on in Glanmire at present - but the shortage of drivers is specifically referenced. What further steps can the Minister take to improve the 214 service?
I will make a wider point that Bus Éireann has a real challenge, as all our bus companies do, in getting drivers. This is across public and private services in every part of the country. Bus Éireann, however, is proving to be incredibly successful at present. I remember meeting Mr. Kent a year or two ago, when he said we might get up to 100 million passenger journeys last year. It actually had 106 million. The traffic numbers on Bus Éireann buses is 20% above pre-Covid levels. Some 3,000 people work in the company. It employed 337 new drivers last year and a further 93 in the first quarter of this year. It is a company that has seen a huge increase in passenger numbers and a large number of new routes being rolled out. It has a key role in the likes of Cork in delivery of bus services.
To help Bus Éireann and to make this happen, we need all the recruitment efforts but we also need to deliver BusConnects in Cork so that bus drivers and their passengers are not stuck in traffic. That has been challenging. There has been quite an extensive consultation process in the city. In fairness to the NTA and Cork city and county councils, they have amended the plans. I believe they are now at a stage where they are ready to go. We still have to go through a very extensive planning process, which is probably the most frustrating thing as regards delays or timelines. That has proven to be a real difficulty. However, subject to us introducing that, the bus drivers we have will be much more effective because they will be on buses that will fly through traffic rather than be stuck in it.
I use the train service regularly in Cork, more so than buses. The difficulty I see lying ahead for us is that while trains turn up on time and always arrive, the same surety is not there for people when it comes to using their local bus service. For the 214 bus in Glanmire, in particular, and the 208 in Mayfield, the impact of BusConnects will be transformative for the city. It will be overwhelmingly positive. As the Minister said, there are a number of hurdles to overcome in order to get there.
My concern about the big plans and the significant investment planned with BusConnects is that if we do not have the drivers, we will continue to experience the same service, which, in the case of the 214, has been described as the worst performing route in the country. That is the concern. Every week, and it happens literally every second day, we get phone calls and text messages from constituents complaining that the bus did not show up, or the information board indicated it would be there in seven, 12 or 15 minutes, when it arrived 40, 50 or 60 minutes later. Even the accuracy of stuff that goes up on the information board, and little practical things like that, need to be improved on as well.
I will bring up a similar issue. It is not only the lack of bus drivers. Sometimes, it is the issue of the number of buses and the state of some of them. Yesterday, there were five cancellations of the 100X expressway, which is the Dundalk to Dublin bus. It is the bus that goes to the airport so it can be imagined how much of a disaster cancellations are for people trying to avoid bringing their car to Dublin and pay the parking fees in the airport. Two such buses were cancelled this morning, the 6.30 a.m. service and the 8.30 a.m. service. People were told at very short notice; I think it went on the website after 7 a.m. Bus Éireann has eight low entry, LE, type buses on this route but they are more than 12 years old. Some of them have more than 1 million km on the clock and are breaking down. There are five buses in the garage at present. NTA public service obligation, PSO, buses are available but Bus Éireann is not able to use them. This is a real issue, especially at this time of year. I ask the Minister to engage so we can get a solution to the problem in the short and long term.
I agree with Deputy O'Sullivan. I will add that it is not just about a driver shortage. We are also short of mechanics. In Cork, there are ten or 12 vacancies in mechanic positions at present. If the bus is not maintained, then it cannot run. Irish passengers value and are attracted to their bus services. Passenger numbers on Bus Éireann PSO services went up by 27% last year. That is a huge increase by any measure. When we introduce BusConnects in Cork, the fleet will increase by 50%. We will need Bus Éireann for a variety of needs. There is the school bus service as well as PSO and commercial services. The Deputy is right that the scale of ambition we have is some 2,000 additional drivers for this switch we will make towards public transport.
One of the first things we need to do is make sure that drivers are properly paid. My understanding is that a benchmark exercise on pay was undertaken, which resulted in improved terms for mechanics in January this year, to ensure that their remuneration is in line. The quota requirement for apprenticeships has also been increased. This is a problem we can overcome. It is part of a wider issue in the economy. The truth is, if you talk to people across many different sectors, it is very hard to get people. It is a real challenge because we are at full employment and demand continues to grow. In those circumstances, it is challenging. We will overcome those challenges in providing the new buses and the better bus corridors so that they really fly, as well as having the drivers and mechanics to operate them.
Could we look at the 100X route?
We will look at that in detail.
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport his views on the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and fund safety improvements; if he will ensure that much needed additional funding will be provided for the non-national road network in 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22079/24]
The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will have heard me highlight the urgent need to provide additional funding for the non-national road network in counties Cavan and Monaghan. The Minister of State and the Minister have met councillors and council officials in both counties. We took that opportunity to outline clearly to them that in view of the particular problems we have, in an area that has drumlin territory, we need additional funding. The commitment in the programme for Government to keep roads up to a proper standard is not being honoured at present. Both Cavan and Monaghan councils need additional funding this year for the non-national road network.
I fully support the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and to fund safety improvements.
That being said, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of its regional and local road network. Works on regional and local roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State road grants.
The primary focus for capital investment under the national development plan continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network, which plays a critical role in supporting economic and community links throughout the country. Ireland's regional and local road network spans over 96,000 km. The network requires significant funding to ensure it remains fit for purpose, safe and resilient.
I was delighted to allocate €658 million towards regional and local roads this year with approximately 90% of this funding being directed towards maintenance and renewal works as per the programme for Government commitment. This allocation represents a €32 million increase in State funding compared with last year. Of this funding, over €10.5 million was allocated under the safety improvement works grant programme to regional and local roads for 261 schemes across the State while a further €10.1 million of specific improvement grant programme funding was allocated to schemes related to safety improvements. In addition to protecting and renewing the regional and local road network, it is a priority to carry out targeted improvements to sections of the network and €677 million has been earmarked towards this aim over the lifetime of the NDP.
I recognise the impact that persistent rainfall has had on the regional and local road network this winter and I am exploring options as to any supports that might potentially be provided to local authorities. Of course, this will be dependent on the availability of funding from across my Department's wider investment programme.
I welcome the final sentence of the Minister's response, where he says that he will examine ways to give more support to local authorities. That needs to be done now. I have been highlighting this issue since 2020. The incessant rainfall has done damage even to relatively good roads. Cavan and Monaghan depend heavily on the non-national road network. In County Cavan, 96% of the road network is made up of local and regional roads. They carry significant volumes of heavy goods traffic and 92% of County Cavan is covered by drumlin soils, mountain and hill peats, which causes difficulty in maintaining a road network.
The Minister talked about local authorities' own resources. The local authorities in Cavan and Monaghan have very limited resources because they do not have a funding base. They are not like Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council or Dublin City Council, which have vast amounts of resources available to them. To the credit of the councillors, the county councils in Cavan and Monaghan decided to put in substantial resources, allied to the Government grants, over the years. However, we do not have enough of a financial contribution from the Department of Transport to carry out the road works programme we need to undertake. People living on regional, county and local roads and on laneways are as entitled to a proper standard of road to their homes, businesses and farms as the people living along motorways or in city areas where there are public transport systems, public lighting and so on.
It is time to stop the examination and to allocate additional resources. We need it this year because of the damage that has been done. As the Minister will know - he has agreed with me when answering questions previously - it is a good investment to protect the roads that are in reasonable condition because, the longer roads are allowed to deteriorate for, the bigger the bill for our local authorities will be.
I support Deputy Smith. He has been a consistent advocate for investment in local roads. Not a week goes by that he does not raise the matter. I lend my support to his requests. As the Minister will know, Cork has the largest road network in the country. The underinvestment in our roads down there is apparent for all to see. The county council is still waiting on funding to deal with road and bridge repairs following Storm Babet in November. Will the Minister give us an update on that and whether additional funding will be forthcoming?
I absolutely agree with Deputies Smith and O'Sullivan. Investment in maintaining our roads is our first priority and the best investment because, as the Deputy has said, if you let them go, it costs much more to restore them. There are also great safety and other benefits to properly surfaced and dressed roads. Funding for road maintenance has increased by 20% over the last four years, the lifetime of this Government.
Unfortunately, the cost of construction products and energy costs have gone up dramatically.
That is true but there was an increase in the budget. Last year, Cavan got a budget of €18.14 million, an increase of €629,000 on the previous year. Monaghan got some €17 million, an increase of €834,000 on the previous year. I have met the officials and engineers in the county councils in Monaghan and Cavan and they do a very good job. They are highly innovative. They are advancing a new means of using reclaimed asphalt to save money, protect the environment and improve roads. We are looking at the funding. It is not easy because our Department is over budget. Last week, we had a Cabinet review on each Department's capital and current spend. We are significantly ahead of profile on both. It is a challenge but we are seeking to divert resources as best we can. To a certain extent, the difficulty is that every county has experienced those extensive rainfall events. That is part of the problem this year. When the lump sum is divided between every county, not every council will necessarily get what it wants. We are looking at that, however. To respond to Deputy O'Sullivan-----
We are drumlin territory.
I understand that. The area also has a very dispersed and wide network of roads but so do other counties. Cork is a good example. To answer Deputy O'Sullivan's question, we are working with Cork County Council to provide the funding it needs for the roads that were affected by the flooding in Glanmire and Midleton. The resources are somewhat constrained by how quickly the council can spend them but it is being provided with what it needs.
I again appeal to the Minister to give particular consideration to the request of councils like those of Cavan and Monaghan. As he will know from the officials and from our councillors, the councils do a very good job but we have very serious problems at the minute. The incessant rainfall of the past few years, the increased cost of energy and the resultant increase in the cost of construction products have had a very significant effect. I assure the Minister that, at the earliest possible date he can allocate additional resources, that money will be put to good use in both Cavan and Monaghan.
I assure the Deputy that we will do everything we can. In honesty, the budget available to us is limited but we will try to reallocate any funding we can garner from other areas. The Deputy is right about the increase in costs. The increase in the cost of bitumen and other materials was very significant. It gives us a certain hope that those inflationary impacts are starting to reduce. We are seeing inflation, including inflation in building materials and road building equipment and materials, coming right down. I hope that will help us to address what I recognise to be a tight situation, which we will do everything we can to resolve.
73. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has received a detailed update from Iarnród Éireann on the condition of the railway line from Collooney to Athenry, covering issues such as the integrity of the permanent way in terms of embankments, bridges, culverts and growth along the line, lack of encroachment and so on; whether there is any significant difference in the state of the line north of Claremorris compared to the section south of Claremorris; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22042/24]
Did Iarnród Éireann do a survey on the line from Collooney to Athenry? Did it find any difference in the condition of the line north of Claremorris compared with the line south of Claremorris?
I do not have an answer to the Deputy's question as to the survey work that was done. There are sections on the line from Claremorris to Athenry that will require some reasonably significant civil works. For example, roads have been built across the line in the intervening period. However, these issues can be overcome. I cannot recall the exact period in which the section from Claremorris to Collooney closed but I believe it was an earlier closure and the line would therefore not be as up to date. I believe there are large sections of the line to which landowners and others may now have access but, if that is not the case-----
It is not the case. The rail report-----
If that is not the case, it is all the better for us if we are to deliver a greenway on the line. The benefit of this is that it would preserve the line in public ownership. It is not included in the strategic rail review and the introduction of a greenway would not be hindered. If held in public ownership into the future, that line provides a potentially very beneficial future asset. However, it is not included in the strategic review and I do not believe that is to be reviewed.
It was not included on the false premise that the line did not exist.
I do not believe that only the quality of the line was considered. There are so many different investment requirements that there has to be some prioritisation.
If the line is, as the Deputy said, still intact and in public ownership, that would help and for it to be maintained in that way is the first priority.
We are out of time. Maybe a Topical Issue would be useful on that matter.
Good idea.
