Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to get the opportunity to make a statement on Transport 21. I thank Deputy Reilly for his comments on the Taoiseach and, in particular, for quoting him. I am sure that if the Taoiseach had stated anything other than what he had stated at that time, Deputy Reilly would have been on his feet as well. It was ironic that Deputy Reilly went on to spend approximately three minutes listing some of the projects currently underway as part of Transport 21. Sometimes as I sit here I feel there is a mass delusion occurring on the Opposition side. Most of us travel by car to get here and I am sure those opposite use many of the fine new roads which have been opened over the past number of years and which are currently under construction. Transport 21 is well on its way.

Ireland has undergone unprecedented economic growth over the past 15 years. Our population has greatly expanded and our workforce has increased to record levels. However, for much of that time our infrastructure lagged behind this economic growth. This was due to under investment in our infrastructure in the past as well as the fact that the scale of our growth was completely unpredicted.

The huge economic growth placed even further pressure on our infrastructure. Car ownership per 1,000 grew by 55% between 1991 and 2004. In that same time the total amount of cars on our roads rose by over 80%. In 2002, 62% of people used a private car to get to work compared to 45% in 1986. In the same period the amount of people travelling to work by car doubled, while the amount of people travelling to work using public transport increased by 28%. In the seven year period from 1996 to 2003, the amount of freight travelling through our ports increased by 36% — Rosslare Europort in my constituency was one of the beneficiaries of this growth in freight levels.

This huge expansion in transport had not been matched by a similar increase in infrastructure over the same period and a new strategy was needed to account for both the previous under investment in transport infrastructure as well as to give appropriate provision for future growth needs due to the continuing expansion of our economy.

Transport 21 was introduced as the Government's response to this need to develop a long-term strategy for investment in transport infrastructure. Transport 21 is the most significant transport investment programme in the history of the State and it is transforming our roads and public transport system. Generations to come will still see the benefits of the investments made under Transport 21.

One of the key aims of Transport 21 was to ensure that transportation played a central role in ensuring Ireland underwent balanced regional development. A large part of the population and economic growth that Ireland witnessed over the decade prior to the adoption of Transport 21 was centred on large urban areas and their surrounding hinterlands. This placed even further pressures on our transport infrastructure as it significantly increased commuting areas. Towns such as Gorey in County Wexford became part of the Dublin commuter belt and the amount of time people spent travelling to work increased dramatically. Transport 21 is a key part of the national spatial strategy's vision for balanced regional development over the coming decades. The end results of the plan and the national spatial strategy will be that people from counties such as Wexford will have new opportunities and far greater choice in terms of where they live and work.

I am particularly glad that accessibility was a key aim of Transport 21. Up to recent times, people with disabilities were virtually excluded from public transport. The significant investment in public transport under Transport 21 is particularly focussed on addressing issues of access to public transport for people with disabilities and to meeting the Department of Transport's requirements under the Disability Act 2005. While we still have some significant way to go to make public transport in Ireland fully accessible for people with disabilities, as someone with a disability I can state that the improvements in access to public transport since the launch of the plan are welcome and are an important step in the right direction.

The largest portion of the investments being made under Transport 21 are for improvements in our road infrastructure with approximately €18 billion being invested in roads from 2006 to 2015. Already this investment in roads is having a significant effect on people's lives. The Gorey bypass, which opened this summer, has reduced the travelling time from Wexford to Dublin by up to three quarters of an hour. Some 10,000 cars have been taken out of the streets of Gorey and from the villages of Inch and Clough each day. These villages are now safer places to live and Gorey town centre will undergo a revival because of the progress being made in implementing Transport 21 locally.

When the Taoiseach and the then Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, launched Transport 21 a number of years ago, they said they wanted to see the road projects earmarked under Transport 21 come in on time and on budget. At the time, public infrastructure projects seemed to operate with ever changing deadlines and calling for projects as ambitious as those outlined in Transport 21 to be completed on time would have seemed impossible. However, many of the recent roads completed under the plan have not only come in on time but ahead of schedule. The Gorey bypass in County Wexford, which I mentioned previously, opened this summer under budget and four months ahead of schedule. The recently opened bypasses of Dundalk and Ennis both opened four months ahead of schedule. Most impressive of all was the Kilcock/Kinnegad bypass which opened ten months ahead of schedule. Results like these show that the targets set out in Transport 21 for transforming our road network will be achieved and that rather than being aspirational, Transport 21 is a strategy which will be fully implemented by this Government. Other success stories include the Dublin Port tunnel, a magnificent piece of engineering despite all the criticism, and the Luas which is a victim of its own success.

County Wexford will greatly benefit from the transformation of its road network as set out in Transport 21. Already, Gorey has seen itself change from one of the worst traffic blackspots in the country to a town that can be driven through in minutes. The next major road project to commence in Wexford will be the New Ross bypass. New Ross also suffers from significant traffic delays and hold-ups of over an hour to enter the town are not uncommon. The New Ross bypass, as outlined in Transport 21, will transform the town as much as Gorey has changed since the summer. Gridlock entering the town will be a thing of the past and traffic will be taken from the streets. New Ross will, once again, become a pleasant and relaxing place in which to live, work and shop. The New Ross bypass took a significant step forward a month ago when the compulsory purchase orders for the acquisition of land were served. Again, this took place within the timeframe set out.

I urge the Minister for Transport and the National Roads Authority to ensure that all other steps in the construction of the New Ross bypass also take place on time and that the bypass opens to the public in 2012 as originally planned.

When the roads element of Transport 21 is completed, Wexford will have a road network suitable for the 21st century. The N11 will be part of Euroroute EO1 linking the ports of Rosslare and Larne. However, if the Atlantic road corridor were extended from Waterford to Rosslare, we would then be part of a corridor stretching over almost the entire island, starting in Letterkenny and covering all the major areas of the south and continuing up the east coast to Larne. I hope that if any review of Transport 21 is undertaken, the Minister for Transport will see the sense of continuing the Atlantic road corridor to Rosslare and linking up with Euroroute EO1.

As well as roads, public transport will also see its largest ever investment under Transport 21. A total of €16 billion is being invested in public transport and regional airports from 2006 to 2015. Public transport is often seen as an urban issue but Transport 21 has recognised the need for public transportation to be established in rural areas. The rural transport initiative has the potential to transform the social structure of many rural communities. Two rural transport initiatives have already been established in Wexford, the rural road runner and west coast Wexford rural transport initiative and both are operating successfully. At a time when social isolation in rural areas has never been higher, developments such as the rural transport initiative provides new lifelines to isolated and vulnerable people in rural communities.

Transport 21 will see a record €441 million investment in rail services over a ten-year period. A total of 217 new rail carriages are being brought into service in the three-year period from 2006 to 2008. Throughout the country, tracks are being replaced and signals upgraded on the rail network. Ireland will go from having the oldest rail stock in Europe to the most modern. Wexford will also see the benefit of this investment in rail services. Brand new intercity carriages are being placed on the Dublin to Rosslare rail line and the frequency of services to Wexford is being increased.

I am a member of South East On Track, and we are working with our colleagues in the south east region to prevent any further downgrading of rail infrastructure in the south east and looking at the potential for the re-opening of old railway lines such as the New Ross to Waterford line.

A total of €86 million has been approved under Transport 21 for investment in Ireland's regional airports, including Waterford Regional Airport. This airport is a key part of the economic infrastructure of the entire south east region and the further development of Waterford Regional Airport, as outlined in Transport 21, is vital to attract industry and employment to surrounding counties such as Wexford.

Transport 21 is the most far reaching and ambitious investment in transport that has ever been seen in Ireland. It takes a holistic approach to transport infrastructure and recognises that a modern infrastructure is vital to ensure balanced regional development throughout the country. Counties such as Wexford are already seeing the benefits that Transport 21 brings, not only in terms of economic development but in terms of improving the quality of peoples' lives.

I compliment the Minister for Transport and his predecessor for ensuring that Transport 21 is implemented fully and on its original timescale. Ireland will be a radically different country when the proposals set out in Transport 21 are fully implemented. I look forward to being part of a Government I know will deliver on this plan.

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