Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

By way of a clarification, the NTA was before us two weeks ago. That meeting was in relation to the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy, LSMATS, plan of which the first draft did not have rail. It will certainly have it now and is very much based on the existing rail network. Equally, the first plan had the northern distributor road as a public transport arm within the city. The NTA confirmed it will be in the second draft that is due to go to public consultation in January. It is not a TII project. It is an NTA project with the local authorities as the principal leaders, and it is the body that will build the road, when it is to be built. It will first go from Coonagh to Knockalisheen with Limerick City and County Council and, as members are aware, Clare County Council as the lead authorities.

I will give Deputy Cathal Crowe extra time. I just wanted to provide the context. The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, informed Deputy Crowe during last night's debate, which I was watching, that the NTA has confirmed that the northern distributor road would be included in the second draft of the LSMATS due to go to public consultation in January.