Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The target is to be ready to submit a railway order application to An Bord Pleanála towards the end of 2009.

The interconnector project only facilitates the expansion of the capacity of the suburban rail network. Other measures are required to deliver that capacity, most particularly the electrification of the wider suburban network and the purchase of new electric rolling stock. Planning for these projects is ongoing. Electrification must be completed before the interconnector is in place and we are committed to achieving this. The 2009 Estimates include a substantial provision for the continuing planning work needed for the railway order application and for the commencement of electrification work.

Buses are another key component of my strategy to increase capacity. I ordered a cost and efficiency review of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. When that study has been completed and I have considered its findings, I will decide on future bus investment strategy.

It is clear from the commitment to the many public transport projects to which I have referred that there is now a significant shift to more sustainable transport in the Government's national development plan. This should not come as a surprise to anyone because, when I launched a public consultation document earlier this year, I outlined the Government's vision of having a sustainable transport system by 2020. I also outlined that, if we continue as we are, travel trends in Ireland will be on a totally unsustainable trajectory.

One could argue that the economic down-turn will solve the transport problem on the grounds that less activity will lead to lower population growth, but that is a short-sighted way of looking at the matter. Transport planning must be carried out over the medium to long term and it is both hopelessly pessimistic and unwise to plan for the future based entirely on the immediate economic difficulties. This is probably the trap we all fell into in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

In carrying out the public consultation process on the sustainable travel and transport action plan, I was surprised by the extent of the engagement. Nearly 500 thoughtful submissions were received, a much higher response rate than normal, and the issues raised in the consultation document resonated well with the public. People are concerned about the harmful effects of motorised traffic, they recognise that efficient movement of goods is vital for our economy and they are aware that how they travel in the future is one of the most important influences in the quality of their lives.

I have consistently promised to publish the sustainable travel and transport action plan this year to set out a new policy framework for transport to meet the Government's vision. In setting out the many transport investment projects being delivered in this budget, I reaffirm the priority I and my colleagues attach to getting the new policy framework in place. I intend to bring the draft plan and a proposed national cycle policy before the Government in the coming weeks.

In practical terms, I intend safeguarding the budgets for sustainable travel initiatives in the Vote of my Department. I am maintaining the momentum of the green schools travel initiative, which will target 260,000 school children by 2012 and which will, I hope, result in many of them switching to walking or cycling to get to school. In addition, we have secured €10 million for carbon reduction measures in 2009 related directly to transport. In addition to these sustainable transport initiatives, we have also made provision in this year's budget for the new Marlborough Street public transport bridge, which will facilitate the metro works.

Virtually all the national road Exchequer provision for 2009 is already contractually committed to the delivery of the projects on the major inter-urban routes. The NRA expects that six major projects, totalling 143 km of dual carriageway road, will open to traffic between now and the end of 2009. These are as follows: the N4, Lucan bypass; the N6, Athlone to Ballinasloe; the N7, Nenagh to Limerick; the N8, Cullahill to Cashel; the N8, Fermoy to Mitchelstown; and the N9, Waterford to Knocktopher. Over €2.5 billion worth of work will continue on 18 major road projects next year, including phase 2 of the M50 upgrade, the Limerick tunnel, the Waterford city bypass, the Castletown to Nenagh section of the N7 and the Kilcullen to Carlow and Carlow to Knocktopher sections of the N9.

All these projects are proceeding on time and on budget and some will come in ahead of time. Over 70% of the major inter-urban network should be open to traffic by the end of next year. In the ten years 2000 to 2010, the State will have invested more than €8 billion in this programme. Already, the Dublin to the Border M1 route was opened to traffic in August 2007 and construction is well under way on the remaining major inter-urban projects.

The 2009 Estimates also include sufficient provision to meet contractual commitments on the various regional airport projects and to meet our share of the cost of the City of Derry Airport. Notwithstanding the difficult financial position, the €2.4 billion of Exchequer capital will allow us to make real and tangible progress in 2009 and to maintain our project planning into the future. In addition to the almost €2.4 billion of capital for Transport 21, over €600 million is being provided for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads. These roads are a key component of our national infrastructure and play a crucial role in the development of the country and the exploitation of crucial sectors such as tourism. A further €50 million is provided for the maintenance and management of national roads.

I have provided almost €40 million for the Road Safety Authority and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. The good news about road safety is that what we are doing is working — I acknowledge this is a concern shared across the House.

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