Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 April 2018
209. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Ireland has applied to the EU to reinstate the western arc and-or the western rail corridor onto the core TEN-T network as committed to in A Programme for a Partnership Government. [18426/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra210. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1206, 1207 and 1208 of 17 April 2018, the criteria used in 2011 when deciding the projects that remained on the core and comprehensive maps for TEN-T funding (details supplied). [18427/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra211. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether it was not a requirement for the State to have funding in place for a project in order to include a project on the application for core TEN-T funding (details supplied). [18428/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together.
As outlined in previous responses to Parliamentary Questions, under the Programme for Partnership Government, the Government committed to applying to the European Union for the revision of the TEN-T Core Network, including in relation to the Western Arc. A submission is being prepared for the European Commission for a revision of the TEN-T Core Network, which would seek to facilitate consideration of transport-related project proposals for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility for transport. The submission will also take into account the implications of Brexit on western and north-west regions.
My officials also separately met with the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) in November of last year and briefed DG Move on the Government’s commitment and on the pending submission. DG Move advised that the submission would be considered on receipt but indicated that it may not meet the criteria required for the Core Network.
The EU TEN-T Regulations when adopted in 2013 identified by way of maps the routes included in Europe’s comprehensive and core transport networks. Once identified, there is a requirement on Ireland to meet the technical specifications set out in the Regulations for those routes. Ireland’s core transport network, which is a subset of our comprehensive network, is required to be completed by 2030, while the comprehensive network is required to be completed by 2050. A key objective of the regulation is to promote interoperability of transport networks across Europe. In the context of Ireland’s then Exchequer position, it was simply not prudent to enter into commitments beyond what we could reasonably expect to deliver, particularly where there were risks of infringements and potential financial penalties for non-compliance.
Applications for the funding of proposed projects located on those routes can then be made in response to an EU-wide competitive process (‘Calls’). These Calls have been, and continue to be, considerably over-subscribed. In submitting subsequent applications for funding, applicants must, inter alia, demonstrate the economic viability of the project by way of a cost benefit analysis and also demonstrate that funding is in place to implement the project. The majority of the costs of any capital project being funded by the Exchequer would therefore still be borne by the Exchequer, with just the potential, if applications were successful, of a minority of grant funding coming from EU sources for projects located on our TEN-T network.
As I have outlined previously, the EU’s planning methodology highlights the criteria that was used for the identification of the comprehensive network and also those parts of the comprehensive network that are identified as the core network.
When the EU’s draft regulation was being negotiated in 2011, Ireland was required to consider the specific cost implications of the proposed network for our transport infrastructure, as well as our financial capacity to complete the technical specifications of our portion of the network within the timeframes proposed.
It was in this context that Ireland, as with other Member States, liaised with the European Commission regarding its views on the appropriateness of the draft Network in line with the proposed methodology and with the affordability of completion of the network at that time. This resulted in sections of the proposed network not ultimately being included in the final TEN-T maps agreed in 2013.
Despite the economic challenges the country has faced, a priority has been placed on access to and within the North-West. The most notable demonstration of this is the Gort-Tuam motorway, which is the largest transport investment completed anywhere in the country since 2011.
That priority is maintained in the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040. Project Ireland 2040 places a strong emphasis on further improving connectivity, including the development of the strategic Cork to Limerick road link and a range of potential transport projects, including key transport projects in the West and Northwest regions.
There will be a review of the implementation of the core network by end 2023. The Commission will consult with Member States and will evaluate progress made in the implementation of the TEN-T Regulation, as well as the impact of evolving traffic patterns and relevant developments in infrastructure investment plans. The Regulation further sets out that the Commission, in consultation with EU Member States, will evaluate whether the core network should be modified to take into account developments in transport flows and national investment planning.
