Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 November 2017
214. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which his Department continues to evaluate the transport system, road and rail, public and private, to ensure the development of efficient and effective transport in all areas of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49623/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur objectives for the sector, as set out in the Department’s Statement of Strategy 2016-2019, is to seek both to address the challenges that exist today and to plan for and enable future development of the land transport networks and services, with an emphasis on safety, enhancing service, facilitating and promoting more sustainable forms of transport including cycling and walking, achieving value-for-money, and promoting sound governance. The Programme for a Partnership Government also has several important commitments on land transport.
Our Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport (SIFLT), published in 2015, identified a number of implementation priorities and actions for the land transport sector. The National Transport Authority (NTA) published a Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035, which provides a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA over the next two decades that will be the subject to a number of influencing factors including funding availability. Other strategic pieces of work that either have only recently, or are expected shortly, to come to completion include: the Mid-Term review of the Capital Plan which has provided enhanced capital allocations for the coming 4-year period; the 10-year National Investment Plan to be published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that will include Exchequer funding envelopes for the period up to 2027; the Rail Review and recent consultation by the NTA; and the Government’s forthcoming new National Planning Framework which is being finalised under the leadership of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. All of these will be key enablers to ensuring the development of efficient and effective transport in all areas of the country.
In the public transport area, we have a shareholder role for the main service providers. The land transport sector also has a number of agencies: the NTA, the Commission for Railway Regulation, Road Safety Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Each has important statutory functions and responsibilities in various aspects of land transport regulation, planning, funding and delivery. We work closely with all of these service providers and agencies, providing policy and legislative leadership, aggregate funding, and governance oversight.
