Martin Kenny
Ceist:1. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on road safety measures being considered and implemented, including a reduction in speed limits. [43058/23]
Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Road Safety
I apologise for my late arrival. There was an accident on the N4 and it delayed things this morning a bit. My question is related to that. It is on the safety measures that are being considered, particularly on the issue of speed controls and so on. I ask the Minister of State if he will make a statement on the matter.
There has been a worrying rise in road fatalities this year, with August the worst month on Irish roads since June 2012. There have been 136 fatalities on our roads this year, an increase of 23 on the same period last year. Almost 850 people have also been seriously injured in collisions. This is unacceptable. My Department, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, An Garda Síochána and other road safety partners are taking this matter seriously and working closely to improve the situation on our roads. The Government’s road safety strategy out to 2030 has the target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, and achieving Vision Zero by 2050. The strategy is in its first implementation phase, with close to 200 concrete actions under way to help deliver these targets.
In response to recent trends, I have prioritised certain high-impact actions. We know that speeding increases the likelihood of a collision. My Department recently published the speed limit review, which recommends safer speed limits on certain parts of the network. My officials are working on guidelines and legislation to give effect to these recommendations as soon as possible. At my request, a cross-government group has also considered potential reforms to streamline and strengthen the penalty points system. Emergency legislation is in preparation and I hope that it will be signed into law before Christmas. We are also urgently implementing additional education and awareness campaigns targeting road user behaviour. Options are also being considered for a campaign to encourage fleet owners to install alcohol interlock devices in their vehicles. Another priority is to review the driver testing curriculum to ensure it is fit for purpose and future-proofed. This review will be informed by research into evolving driver behaviour and international best practice to produce recommendations on driver education in Ireland.
Road safety is a foremost priority for me and the Government. Every death is one too many. We know of the life-changing impact that serious injuries can have for victims, families, friends and communities. Everyone is entitled to use our roads and, importantly, to be safe on our roads.
The main issue that many people are looking at in respect of this is the reduction in speed limits on various roads around the country. We certainly need to see that. There is no big opposition to it. However, people are concerned that if the law is not proportionate, it will often not be complied with. We can all recognise this. Many Deputies will know people who were given a speeding fine for being 5 km/h over the speed limit and the camera took a shot of them. Theirs was the only car on a wide open road and they felt this was unfair. The phrase "shooting fish in a barrel" is often used when this happens, yet we see people who drive erratically and extremely dangerously and there does not seem to be the same emphasis on ensuring that they are taken off the road. In my view and in the view of most rational people looking at this, a small minority of people behaving in a very reckless fashion cause a lot of these accidents.
The evidence from the RSA shows that more than a small minority of people are speeding. Unfortunately, that is the case. We know that excessive speed continues to be a leading contributory factor in fatal and serious injury collisions in Ireland. Reducing speed has been fundamentally proven to significantly reduce the risk of death or serious injuries in road collisions. The WHO has estimated that a 5% reduction in average speed could result in a 30% reduction in fatal collisions. Furthermore, the evidence shows that 50% of pedestrians struck by a vehicle at 60 km/h would be killed, compared to 29% struck at 50 km/h and 5% struck by a vehicle travelling at 30 km/h. Regarding the speed limit review, we have to change the default speed limits in primary legislation and then the matter will be devolved to local authorities with guidance to implement that in a sequenced manner. It will be for local authorities to take action and to ensure that we have safer speed limits on our roads.
I appreciate that. I understand that the local authorities will examine each particular stretch of road and find an appropriate speed for it. Many stretches of our secondary roads are not safe to travel on at the standard speed limit of 80 km/h. The speed limit needs to be reduced in those cases. We need to see an appropriate means by which this can be done. The local authorities need to examine each stretch of road and adjust the speed limit accordingly. Another aspect of this on many roads, not just country or byroads, is the number of dangerous corners and junctions. Work needs to be done on these. It is not all about ensuring that driver behaviour is right, we also need to ensure that the infrastructure is right and that the roads are safer to use. Every year each local authority applies to the Department seeking funding for safety measures. They usually look for funding for two and sometimes three times the number of projects than they receive. I appeal to the Minister of State that adequate funding be put in place to deal with accident black spots
As the Deputy said, the infrastructure plays a key role in improving road safety. That, complemented with a reduction in speed limits will play an important role in reducing fatalities on our roads. The current default baseline of 80 km/h for local or rural roads is completely out of sync with what the appropriate speed should be on such roads. We welcome constructive input from all Members to try to get the speedy implementation of the legislation by our colleagues and local authorities so this can be quickly progressed in 2024. It would result in a more consistent, safer set of speed limits across our national road network. It will provide a safer baseline in the interests of road safety. I appreciate the Deputy's input on the issue.
Road Tolls
Paul Murphy
Ceist:2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he supports the proposal by a group (details supplied) to abolish the M50 and East Link tolls so as to incentivise motorists not to pass through the city centre, thereby reducing congestion and air pollution and facilitating public transport and active travel in the city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43386/23]
I want to ask if the Minister supports the proposal from the Dublin Commuter Coalition to abolish the M50 and East Link tolls to incentivise motorists to not to pass through the city centre. This would reduce congestion and air pollution, speed up public transport and make it more reliable. It would facilitate active travel and would make the city centre a safer, healthier and more pleasant place to be.
I very much support the vision for Dublin’s city centre to be a better place to live, work and visit as set out by the advocacy group referred to in the Deputy's question.
That is why I fully support the vision set out by Dublin City Council in their recently published draft Dublin city centre transport plan which was developed in co-operation with the National Transport Authority, NTA.
I believe this new plan can maximise the opportunities presented to the city through the steady reduction in the use of private cars to travelling through, or into, the core city centre. Statistics show that since the first canal cordon count in 2006, the use of the private car in the morning peak had declined by 31% by last year. Some might say Covid was a factor, but in the period between 2006 and 2019, the use of the private car had already declined by 21%.
I firmly believe that we need to reorientate our city's urban streetscape to prioritise people. That means reallocating space so people can walk, shop, cycle, socialise and enjoy the city centre. That does not mean banning all cars or vans from the city centre because we have to provide access. It just means we need to manage traffic better, including reducing through-traffic in the city centre.
The traffic management proposals put forward by the city council strike the right balance between removing through-traffic from the city centre while retaining access for traffic that must access it. We can then seize the opportunity to enhance the public realm in key areas.
I do not believe there is a direct link between abolishing tolls on either the M50 or the East Link and achieving that improved city centre environment. That improved environment requires us to change how we use our streets and how we allocate space on the streets. That will be the better way to deliver an improved city centre.
There is not a contradiction between improving how we use our streets, providing better public transport and abolishing the tolls. The Minister said he agrees with the vision but the vision argues that the tolls encourage vehicles crossing the city to go straight through the centre rather than taking routes around it. We know from Dublin City Council's draft Dublin city centre transport plan 2023 that six out of every ten cars are simply using the city centre roads as the most convenient routes to reach destinations outside the city centre and that these vehicles could use different routes to these destinations. We need to incentivise and encourage people to not bring their cars into the city centre. It would have a big impact. A daily commuter who drives across the city will have to pay €76 per month for the East Link Bridge or €92 per month on the M50. If we get rid of those charges, that will have an impact, to some degree, in reducing car traffic in the city centre and go towards achieving the 40% reduction targeted by Dublin city centre transport plan.
There are a number of reasons I do not think it is the right strategy. We had the example of Deputy Kenny who was delayed this morning by an accident on the approaches to the M50. This road is already at full capacity. If we look at any of the statistical analysis, it is almost jammed at various sections now 24-7. In fact, we have had to introduce traffic management measures to try to cope with the excess capacity most of the time and particularly during the morning and evening rush hours. I do not believe, therefore, that there is spare capacity for people to make the switch. I also believe that is far more effective, quicker, fairer and better for us to actually change the geography of the city centre by reallocating the space for pedestrians, cyclists and the public realm rather than trying to relocate everyone elsewhere. We are engaged in a major demand management study both in Dublin and nationally. The fruits of that work will start to be seen before the end of the year or early next year. That is asking the question as to how we manage all this traffic. Included in that is the need to reduce the volume of traffic by 25% right across the country. I do not believe that the proposals set out would be the best means of achieving our aims.
The Minister is also opposed to making public transport free. He is against doing those measures which make it easier for people to engage in better ways of being in Dublin city and not adding to congestion in our city centre by taking public transport and engaging in active travel. He opposed abolishing public transport fares because it would lead to "unnecessary journeys". What we need to target are unnecessary car journeys and the way to do that is not by charging people which seems to be what the Minister is getting at when he talks about keeping the tolls, but by massively increasing investment, expanding public transport and active travel, and making it free for everybody.
I hope that it is not the €172 million in total income from the M50 and the €4 million in income from the Eastlink Bridge that is determining policy on this. The Government has the capacity to amend the Roads Act, abolish these tolls to direct car journeys out of the city centre thereby improving the city centre along with the other measures. I agree it is not of itself a silver bullet, but it is one part of the solution.
I am proud to be the Minister who introduced the first major cut in public transport fares - 20% for everyone and 60% for those under 25 which has seen a massive increase in the number of people using public transport.
The Minister should go further.
However, we need some money to come from somewhere to pay for the massive expansion in public transport services we need.
Agreed.
To my mind that is the best way to change this whole paradigm. Rather than trying to facilitate more car traffic, we should try to reduce that and increase the alternative so that the system works for everyone, including those in cars. I am not anti the people who have to drive. In fact, the problem we have is the Deputy's solution would promote car traffic and would actually make it worse for everyone.
No, it would not.
We need the money to pay for public transport and to keep reducing the costs but the Deputy wants everything free for everyone including for motorists. Having no one pay anything for anything would not work. We need to raise some revenue to provide the public services----
The Government is against raising corporation tax.
-----that a socialist solution would say is the right way to go.
The Government could raise corporation tax. We are a tax haven.
Investing in public transport provides a social gain.
Road Projects
Martin Kenny
Ceist:3. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport to outline the funding structure for TII projects; how funding is drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43059/23]
I wish to ask about the funding structure for Transport Infrastructure Ireland projects and how that funding is drawn down. The Minister will have seen the article this morning in the Irish Independent suggesting that the failure to invest in road projects could lead to up to 77 deaths in five years. It is a stark reminder that when projects are approved to be advanced, we need to advance them with scale and ambition and it needs to happen quickly. The structure we have at the moment is to do things on a phase-by-phase basis. When the Government gives funding for a project to begin, it has to wait for the next step and the next step and the next step. That is causing serious problems for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and for the engagement of contractors on many of these projects.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, as set out in the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015. The key element of TII’s funding structure for national roads is the provision of Exchequer grants by the Minister to both its current and capital expenditure as set out in section 24 of the Act. Capital expenditure grants are provided from my Department’s national development plan allocations and this year alone over €600 million has been allocated to TII for national roads. The national development plan sets out a detailed list of national roads projects and notes those projects are subject to further approvals and prioritisation in accordance with relevant commitments and strategies.
The Deputy is likely to be aware that section 19(2) of the Roads Act 1993 requires that TII works closely with the relevant road authority. Therefore, upon receipt of its overall allocation, TII in turn provides allocations to the local authorities in their role as the relevant road authority. In terms of the public spending code, TII is the approving authority and the local authority is the designated sponsoring agency. As part of its role as approving authority, TII monitors project delivery programmes and expenditure during the year in question in order to maximise delivery and spend across the programme. Once funding is put in place as part of the annual budget process, Exchequer funding is drawn down by TII through the submission of invoices to the Department of Transport on a regular basis. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that expenditure can be attributed to individual projects. Regular meetings take place between the Department and TII on the roads programme throughout the year.
I am aware of how the system works or in many cases does not work. It certainly does not work efficiently and appropriately. Since the change of government, there has been a change in how the Department of Transport allocates funding. It is very much done on a phase-by-phase basis. Only when one phase of a project is completed can it try to draw down the funding for the next phase. That is causing serious delays, complications and difficulties. I would like to get a clear commitment from the Minister that there will be a review of that particular policy so that when a road is designed and there is a commitment to its being built, the Government actually provides the funding not just to begin the process but to complete the process and get it moving at pace so that we can have safer roads for everyone to travel on particularly the users of heavy goods vehicles who really need to see these roads developed the length and breadth of the country as quickly as possible.
The Deputy is right that there was change with this Government - a change towards prioritisation of public transport which has not been there in the past and towards supporting active travel with all the benefits that brings. However, there is still very significant spending on roads. We have spent approximately €5 billion and that expenditure will continue. We are investing in roads primarily for road safety but also for a whole range of other benefits, including improving the public realm which we discussed on the last question. That is something we need to do. Of course, we will continually review that because the world is changing with even some of the cost bases increasing. For example, we have just recently agreed the progression of the road between Scramogue and Ballaghaderreen. The price almost doubled in the last two and a half years due to a variety of different factors. The answer to the Deputy's question is that, of course, we continually monitor, review, update and assess.
The national development plan has allocated a very significant €35 billion to transport. We have about €100 billion worth of projects in planning at various stages. There are further ones we will need to develop that are not on that programme's list. There must be some sort of honest assessment of the staging and likely delivery timelines of all those projects.
I appreciate that and I understand that there was a change in emphasis but that is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about a change in the mechanism allowing Transport Infrastructure Ireland to deliver these projects. It is finding that it is complicated by the phased system in place which is delaying the delivery of these roads. The Minister spoke about the increase in costs and the doubling of the cost of the Ballaghaderreen project. That will continue to happen if once the process of initiating getting the road built has happened, it cannot move it along at pace. Those projects are being delayed and those delays are leading to an increase in costs as well as a delay in the delivery of the project which can have a risk for the people who use the roads.
We clearly need a review of the mechanism and how the funds are being drawn down. The phased process in place now is hindering the possibility of delivering these roads at a reasonable speed and a better cost for the public. I appreciate what the Minister has said that there has been a change, but the change in that particular aspect has been negative for everyone concerned.
The change has not been negative because it has led to a dramatic increase in rural public transport, starting in Leitrim in the Deputy's own constituency. That was the first county where we started providing these new rural bus services.
We can discuss rural transport another day. This is the issue I am talking about.
Let the Minister reply, please.
Part of that €100 billion series of projects was the massive expansion in rural bus transport services. I could go on about the whole list of different projects we all want to build.
A possible 77 deaths.
No one wants to see delay and no one wants the higher costs that delay brings. I absolutely agree with the Deputy on that. However, we need to be honest and clear with people. The reason for delay in some projects is that we have a €100 billion ask and a €35 billion budget to spend. We cannot pretend to everyone that we will deliver all €100 billion when we only have seven years of this NDP remaining and only some €35 billion available. That is a mismatch that we cannot ignore and wish away and pretend it does not exist. We have to do everything on an orderly basis-----
But the roads the Minister has approved-----
-----where we particularly allocate the engineering and other resources such as planning and other skills to make sure we speed up and deliver at as low a cost as possible, as many projects as possible, and that is my priority.
Rail Services
Peter Fitzpatrick
Ceist:4. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the negative affect the increase in the number of suburban DART services on the Intercity services from Belfast, Dundalk and Drogheda such as the Enterprise during peak times; the ticket-checking processes that occurs to prevent dangerous overcrowding at peak times (details supplied); if he has plans to increase the number of tracks from two to four on the Malahide to Connolly Station stretch of the line, similar to the improvement that has been carried out on the Cork line between Heuston Station and Hazelhatch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43236/23]
Is the Minister aware of the negative affect of the increase in the number of suburban DART services on the Intercity services from Belfast, Dundalk and Drogheda, such as the Enterprise, during peak times; the ticket-checking processes that occurs to prevent dangerous overcrowding at peak times of which details are provided; if he has plans to increase the number of tracks from two to four on the Malahide to Connolly stretch of the line, similar to the improvement that has been carried out on the Cork line between Heuston Station and Hazelhatch; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government is committed to improving public transport, as I have just said, both bus and rail, and is backing up that commitment with significant investments across the network. There are investment plans for the northern commuter line, serving both Drogheda and Dundalk, which should improve the experience of passengers in the coming years. These improvements include the introduction next year of 41 new ICR units onto the fleet; the arrival of the new DART+ fleet and its likely entry into service by 2025; and the proposed replacement of the entire Enterprise fleet. These improvements will have short-, medium- and longer-term benefits to northern line passengers through the possibilities offered by the new ICR units to lengthen existing trainsets and cascades fleet across the network. We can also enhance DART+ services to Drogheda, potentially alleviating capacity on other services. We also intend, as I said, intend expanding service level and frequency on the Dublin to Belfast line with the new Enterprise fleet. Each of these investments is significant in its own right and, collectively, they represent a massive investment in the rail network along the northern line. The Deputy is correct to highlight that on limited parts of the network there are conflicts between enhanced service levels on commuter and intercity routes. The northern line is one such example where the Enterprise must share the line with a very popular and expanding commuter service. The draft strategic rail review recognised this issue and has recommended better segregation of intercity services from commuter services where possible. In considering the northern line, the review notes that there are a number of constraints along the line in relation to potential four-tracking and recommends further investigation. I can confirm that Iarnróid Éireann has received EU funding to support that further investigation; however, to be clear, it is a long-term project. I look forward to working with the Deputy in delivering improved transport services for the north east. Very much within that prioritisation that we have to do, the enhanced development of our rail services is one of the best investments we could make.
I thank the Minister. As the Minister knows, thousands of people commute between Dundalk and Dublin every day. One of my constituents sent me an email during the week, on the subject of the 16:50 Dublin to Belfast train. The email states:
This evening, for the second time in eight days I had to stand all the way from Connolly station to Dundalk on the 16:50 Enterprise. On each occasion the incoming train arrived late with no expected arrival time advised... There was no one checking on tickets and no one managing to see how many people were going on board. Today, like last Tuesday, the aisle of each carriage was absolutely packed with passengers standing all the way to Dundalk, elderly and pregnant people have been left standing, there is not even room to sit on the floor. If there was a crash, it would be carnage as huge numbers of people were not secured and would be thrown all around the carriage. There was no checking of tickets on Irish Rail. I paid €28.15 return. I would be grateful if you could explain how Irish Rail are planning to compensate customers affected and ensure that current conditions on developing world transport will not continue on key routes in a wealthy country at first world prices.
Obviously, that is a totally unsatisfactory customer experience. No one wants someone standing on the train all the way to Dundalk and all the various inconveniences that the Deputy listed. We need to improve the services and that is why we purchased the new ICR units. That is why we are buying and about to introduce the new battery electric trains so that we have greater capacity. That is not just on the Drogheda to Dundalk line; it is every part of the country. The Deputy will have seen recent announcements only last week of new early services to other parts of the country. There has been a significantly enhanced increase in rail capacity and in the number of passengers using it. The big fundamental issue on the northern line, and the real challenge going back to that question about €100 million, that does not include the four-tracking north of Connolly Station, which actually is the biggest constraint on the line. That project is in the greater Dublin area transport strategy which recommends it, the rail review recommends it and we will have to do it. It will cost several billion euro. It will be good for connecting Dublin to Belfast, not just Dundalk, and indeed we could go beyond, but that scale of investment is what is needed, if we are to be honest. If we are to be honest about transport debates, we need to show where the money for that is going to come from as well as everything else.
I did my fair bit. I invested in a fully-electric car and I am proud to say that. However, I have been travelling up and down to Leinster House for the past 13 years. This morning was probably the worst. I left Dundalk at 6 a.m. It took me 20 minutes to get out of Dundalk. At Drogheda, it took about another ten or 15 minutes to get through the toll bridge. From Donabate the whole way to Merrion Street this morning, it was unbelievable. There were no accidents. I would have actually loved at one stage to wind my window down and get some fresh air but I cannot do that. Pregnant women and elderly people are standing up the whole time between Dundalk and Dublin and vice versa. The Minister talked about investment and the new services coming in. I would like to know when. There is talk that he did not spend almost €100 million of his budget recently on roads and other areas. A great deal of money is being talked about in terms of investment. However, there does not seem to be any improvement whatsoever. Will he show me where these improvements are? I have to go back to Dundalk and explain this to these elderly and pregnant people who stand the whole way from Dundalk to Connolly station. It is disgraceful.
I will show the Deputy the improvement when we roll out the 41 new ICR units next year. I will show him the year after when we put in the new battery electric trains. I will go further. Next year we will also improve that line by building a charging station in Drogheda so that those battery electric trains can turn around and operate much quicker and at higher capacity. Improvements are on the way.
I wish to make a point. This is not anti-motorist. It is not saying there is a switch in prioritisation. The truth is that the M50 and the approach roads to it, as I said earlier, are full and no additional capacity is possible. The growth we can expect in our country and in this city cannot be catered for by car traffic. That will only make it worse for everyone.
I am sorry Deputy Kenny was late this morning, stuck in traffic because of the accident near Celbridge. Every day he knows that junction and that whole approach is backlogged and Deputy Fitzpatrick knows it is the same on the M1. There is nothing we can do about that in terms of increasing road capacity. There is no physical capability of increasing the road space so we have to invest in the alternative to make it better for everyone. That way, those who are in the cars will see the road space freed up.
Road Projects
Martin Kenny
Ceist:5. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on any engagement he or his officials have had with stakeholders in relation to the A5/N2 upgrade plans. [43065/23]
I often say that we need to relieve Dublin and revive the rest of the country. That is really what we need to do.
I agree.
One way to do that relates to the A5 road, which while most of it runs through the North, goes from County Donegal to County Monaghan. These are parts of the country that have been very much left behind by successive Governments. What has been done the Minister's officials regarding the works on this road? The Minister will be aware that Sinn Féin tabled a motion on this a number of months ago because of the increasing number of people who have tragically lost their lives on this stretch of road. There needs to be a commitment from the Government to deliver this road project.
As the Deputy said, there was a very useful debate initiated by his party on the A5 project in Northern Ireland earlier in the summer, which afforded all Members the chance to put forward their views on this important project. The importance of the A5 transport corridor is recognised in the national planning framework, NPF. The NPF's strategic outcome 2, enhanced regional accessibility, specifically calls for improved access to the north west and notes the importance of the A5 in that regard. That policy support has been backed up through financial commitments made in 2015, in the New Decade, New Approach agreement in 2020 and was most recently reiterated in the NDP in 2021 in respect of a Stg£75 million allocation from the Irish Government to support the project. Obviously, as a project situated wholly within Northern Ireland, the planning, funding and delivery of this project is primarily a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and relevant Northern authorities. I understand that the northern Department for Infrastructure expects the project to complete its final planning stages later this year with the publication of a final report by the relevant public inquiry.
The overall funding package for the project is presumably the subject of ongoing discussion between relevant northern authorities and the UK Government and will no doubt reflect the commitments made between all parties in New Decade, New Approach. On the southern side, funding is being provided in relation to proposed upgrades to the N2 in County Monaghan, with more than €3 million being allocated this year alone. Planned improvements to that road are a necessary part of improving access to the north west generally. I can confirm that my Department regularly engages with colleagues in the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. These engagements consider a range of North-South transport proposals, including the A5, and further engagement is scheduled over the coming months.
I am aware that the Department is making some progress in respect of the A5 and that much of the delay is on the northern side of the Border. That being said, it needs to be recognised that this stretch of road is a vital connection from Donegal and the north-west through Tyrone and into the South. It needs to be prioritised by Governments on both sides of the Border. Unfortunately, as the Minister said, the Executive is not up and running in the North, which is causing a number difficulties, of which this is just one.
We have to recognise that there is an international agreement, the St. Andrew's Agreement, in place, part of which was to see this project delivered. That agreement was reached nearly 20 years ago at this stage and there is also a commitment in New Decade, New Approach to deliver this road. Unfortunately, people are still losing their lives on the A5. Only a few months ago we saw another tragedy on it. As we think of all the people who lose their lives on the roads, we have to recognise, as I pointed out earlier to the Minister's colleague, that investment in roads is part of the solution, as is driver behaviour. We need to see investment in this road.
The Deputy makes a valid point about the Executive and Assembly in the North. I do not think the project can progress without an Executive in place. Leaving the legality of the position to one side, in the absence of an Executive and Assembly, we do not even have counterparts at a political level to speak to about the projects. We need that.
I recognise that connectivity to the north west is vital. The strategic rail review was important in that regard-----
Yes, it was.
because as well as the A5, it made a very significant proposal for a rail spur from Portadown through Dungannon, Omagh, Strabane to Letterkenny, as well as to Derry. That is a hugely significant and potentially beneficial project. Again, all these projects will be very expensive. I think the latest cost estimate by the Executive was £1.6 billion. We have committed £75 million to the project but that does not add up to £1.6 billion. The UK Government will have to make a key decision on the contribution from its exchequer. We will engage with it and the Northern Executive and Assembly when they are back in place.
I understand that and it is a great frustration to everyone, bar the DUP, that the Executive is not up and running. We need to see it up and running, working and delivering for people. The delivery of this road project is vital. It is reflection of one of the idiosyncrasies of the planning process on both sides of the Border, particularly in the North, that, unfortunately, a small number of people who have been objecting to this road for decades have been able to hold up its progress. We need to see the greater good being delivered. It is for the greater good that we have a road that is fit for purpose and works for people across the North.
I acknowledge the impact of the all-island rail review and the possibilities it raises. However, the A5 exists and needs to be improved and developed. We need to see new sections of it being put in place. The issue in regard to rail is much further down the track, if the Minister will pardon the pun. It is much a more difficult thing to try to deliver in the timescale in which we need to see this being delivered.
I thank the Deputy.
This road is used by people every day to come and go to work. They need to have an appropriate road in place.
I am very familiar with the road. I go up to Donegal and Derry a lot. We need an all-island approach to transport-----
Hear, hear.
-----in the same way that we need an all-island approach to the environment and so many different areas. There are budgetary issues here, however. All Deputies have a list as long as their arm of various projects that have to be funded. Road building in particular is increasingly expensive. We are seeing that in recent tenders. We often have to make hard choices. Those hard choices have to advance some projects over others. Despite some of the earlier conversations, there is not an endless tap of money. That requires difficult political decisions. If we are to invest further in some projects, it means we have to invest less in others. That presents a real political challenge.