Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2018
207. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will publish and provide copies of all PLUTO 2040 reports that have been completed to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment; the process and guidelines under which these projects will be assessed for their climate impacts; and the way in which they will be funded. [42708/18]
View answerMy Department is currently producing analysis that will form the basis for a framework for investing in land transport: Planning Land Use and Transport - Outlook 2040, known as PLUTO 2040. This will form part of Project Ireland 2040. PLUTO 2040 will be an update to my Department's 'Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport' (SIFLT), published in 2015. It will focus explicitly on how to ensure the realisation of the National Strategic Objectives set out in the National Planning Framework, taking account of the investment plans in the National Development Plan. For ease of reference, I include a link to SIFLT here:
http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/content/corporate/english/general/sfilt-investing-our-transport-future/investing-our-transport-future.pdf.
As was done for the SIFLT, the analysis conducted for PLUTO 2040 will be published in the form of a number of background papers focusing on specific issues. Staff in my Department are currently developing these background papers, and I expect them to be completed early in 2019. I will ensure that, when they are completed, they will be made available to the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
The development of PLUTO 2040 is overseen by a steering group composed of officials in my Department, officials in my Department's national transport agencies, and officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. PLUTO 2040 will be subject to a full public consultation upon completion of a draft report. Again I expect this will take place in early 2019.
PLUTO 2040 will not identify specific transport investment projects for investment. Rather, it will set out key priorities and principles for future investment to ensure the delivery of a transport network that meets the needs of our country, and which delivers the National Strategic Objectives of Project Ireland 2040. These priorities and principles will then be utilised, by national agencies and Local Authorities, to identify specific projects. These projects will be subject to the processes set out in the Public Spending Code and the Common Appraisal Framework for Transport Projects and Programmes, both of which require the identification and appraisal of climate impacts. Following the completion of PLUTO 2040, my Department will consider any necessary updates to the Common Appraisal Framework, including with regard to the appraisal of climate impacts.
