Seán Sherlock
Question:247. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport the status of investment in the Cork light rail project under CMATS. [46094/21]
View answerTuesday, 28 September 2021
Questions (247)
Written answers
The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), which was published last year, adopts the multi-modal approach to transport planning that has proven successful in many city regions internationally; it provides the necessary evidence-based, and plan-led framework that can guide investment in Cork over the short, medium, and longer term.
CMATS has a number of significant public transport proposals across bus, commuter rail and light rail, together with the proposed transformation of active travel infrastructure in the city region. including the proposal to develop a light rail service running on an east to west corridor across the city.
As required under the Public Spending Code, the National Transport Authority has submitted the Strategic Assessment Report for Cork Light Rail to my Department. This is known as Decision Gate 0 and the Code stipulates that the Strategic Assessment Report must be reviewed by my Department and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform.
This Decision Gate is a Ministerial approval point rather than a Governmental one, and, if approved, the project will then proceed to the next Decision Gate in the Public Spending Code - Decision Gate 1 Preliminary Business Case.