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National Development Plan

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2018

Thursday, 15 February 2018

Questions (56)

Bríd Smith

Question:

56. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which funding under the national development plan will be used for public transport; if the threat to some rail routes and the continued lack of investment in the western rail corridor will be addressed in that plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7717/18]

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Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, the Government’s ten-year National Development Plan will be published shortly along with the National Planning Framework.  The National Development Plan will prioritise key investment actions that protect the quality and value of the existing extensive public transport networks.  It will also progress new key capital public transport programmes over the period to 2027 to address urban congestion and emerging capacity constraints in our main cities.  Investment in any new public transport programmes under the National Development Plan will be subject to the relevant appraisal processes and value for money tests as required under the Public Spending Code.

The role and potential of rail is intrinsically linked to where people live, work and wish to travel and these very issues form the core of the Government’s new National Planning Framework over the period to 2040. The National Planning Framework will form an important context for consideration of issues raised by the Rail Review Report which was undertaken jointly by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann and published in late 2016.  As the Deputy is aware, the NTA held a public consultation on the published Review which helped to begin an informed discussion about the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process. The NTA has prepared a report of those submissions, which it is currently updating to reflect the additional funding which has been made available for rail infrastructure and services in Budget 2018.

With regard to the Western Rail Corridor, the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to provide for an independent costing and review of the Western Rail Corridor Phase Two between Athenry and Claremorris.   It also commits that no measures will be taken to prevent the future reactivation of the Western Rail Corridor for rail use.  The costing and review has not been undertaken pending the advancement of the wider processes underway, including the Rail Review and the National Planning Framework, that are highly relevant to the general rail environment. 

Once I have received and reviewed the NTA’s updated report on the Rail Review consultation, it is my intention to bring it to Government for consideration.  As I have previously stated, I have no plans regarding the closure of any parts of the rail network.  The Taoiseach also gave assurances in the Dáil recently that there are no plans in this regard.  

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