Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 December 2013
415. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to monitor the rail, road and air transport facilities with a view to maximising the options available to the public in terms of a coordinated and integrated transport system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55086/13]
View answerMy Department and I constantly monitor our national transport facilities to ensure that, given the resources available, they are achieving their greatest potential. In relation to maximising the options to the public in terms of an integrated and co-ordinated transport system, this is an important consideration when it comes to future decisions on transport investment. In making decisions as to future expenditure on transport, my Department has been active to ensure that a co-ordinated approach is taken and that we do not look at land, maritime or aviation transport in isolation from each other. In previous times, this was a legitimate criticism of transport investment but I believe that, in recent years, this problem has been addressed. At a European level, my Department has been and will continue to actively engage with Trans European Network for Transport (TEN-T) and to ensure it is integrated into Irish transport policy making. The TEN-T regulations set out a multi-modal transport network across the European Union and aims to ensure integration between the various modes. This multi-modal policy is supported by domestic policy such as the new National Ports Policy that I launched in March. For example the National Ports Policy's designation of Shannon-Foynes Port, Dublin Port and the Port of Cork as Ports of National Significance (Tier One) and Rosslare Europort and the Port of Waterford as Ports of National Significance (Tier Two) mirrors the TEN-T designations of these ports as Core and Comprehensive ports on the TEN-T network. These designations are then taken into account by the National Transport Authority and the National Roads Authority when decisions are then being made in terms of future planning.
Other policy work is ongoing in my Department and I expect to publish two significant new transport policy papers in 2014. An aviation policy is now approaching completion while in relation to land transport, work on developing a strategic framework for investment in land transport is on-going. Both the framework for investment and the aviation policy will help provide further clarity about transport priorities and will help to ensure that there is appropriate co-ordination and integration between the various modes. In a similar vein, the National Transport Authority have a statutory remit to develop an integrated transport plan for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and they are currently in the process of completing their implementation plan for transport investment in the GDA for the period to 2018.
