Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. He will be aware that the planning application was brought by Dublin City Council and the decision to refuse was made by An Bord Pleanála. The council's application was made in its role as the relevant local and roads authority for Dublin city. I am sure the Deputy respects the role of the city council and all local authorities regarding their statutory roles and responsibilities.

The Deputy refers to the development of a plaza on College Green, which forms a central element of Dublin City Council’s plans for the area and features in the council’s development plan. There is a transport element to the council’s plans for College Green, and that was founded on part of the 2015 Dublin city centre transport study, which was developed by the council in partnership with the NTA. This transport study sought to address the transport issues facing the core city centre area, facilitate the implementation of the council’s development plan and safeguard the future development of the city.

The study noted that the development of the Luas cross city service required a renewed focus on traffic and junction arrangements along its route, including the College Green area. Complementing that focus, the council sought to improve the public realm and create a new civic plaza. As I mentioned, I understand that the proposal to upgrade the public realm forms part of the council’s current development plan. Therefore, as the Deputy can appreciate, the planning application for the College Green plaza proposal is a matter for the council.

However, as I stated, there is a transport context for this. The issue of congestion formed the backdrop to the 2015 study and also forms the backdrop to any discussion of transport within the core city centre today. As we all know, the College Green area is an important transport corridor for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists. The implications of An Bord Pleanála's recent decision are being carefully considered by the council in its role as the relevant local and roads authority for the area, as well as by the National Transport Authority in its statutory role as transport authority.

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That consideration reflects the statutory responsibilities of the various State authorities. It is not a matter for decision by a Minister as to what the traffic arrangements on a city centre street might be or whether a public plaza should be created or how it should be created.

What I am responsible for is the development of public transport policy and the overall funding to provide for its implementation. In that regard, we have made progress in recent years since publication of the city centre transport study in 2015. We have increased rail services through the reopening of the Phoenix Park tunnel; continued to invest in the city centre re-signalling project; introduced ten-minute DART services; invested in new bus services and fleet; and invested in improved cycle routes and expanded public bike sharing schemes.

We are planning for the future too, through the BusConnects, MetroLink and DART Expansion projects. Therefore, there has been progress in public transport in recent years and that progress will continue and accelerate with the roll-out of the projects to which I have just referred.

In relation to the specific issues in the College Green area, I expect the council and the NTA to fully consider the board's recent decision in the context of the known issues which remain in the movement of transport through the area.

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