Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak about regional transport infrastructure. I have no doubt there will be much agreement among all of us on the importance of regional and rural transport infrastructure. Too often, when we talk about transport, we end up discussing the cities. However, I am keenly aware rural and regional Ireland need improvements to its transport infrastructure and I am happy to have the opportunity to update the House on what this Government will deliver in that regard.

Government is not opposing this motion. However, there are a number of issues and inaccuracies within it, which will be highlighted in the ministerial speeches. I must take issue with the statement that successive Governments are failing rural Ireland. In that past few years, we have seen the creation of a specific Department dedicated to rural and community development, while in 2018 the Government published the national planning framework of which two of its ten national strategic outcomes are dedicated to regional and rural Ireland, while the national planning framework is fundamentally centred upon ensuring a more balanced approach to development. Just this year, the three coalition leaders launched Our Rural Future which, at its heart, has an ambitious vision for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being and development.

This Government recognises the importance of investment in our transport infrastructure for rural Ireland, how it is essential for the social and economic growth of our villages, towns and cities and the key role it can play to ensure balanced regional development and increased connectivity throughout the State. Included among Our Rural Future's 162 actions are those related to improving active travel, bus, rail and road infrastructure and I can assure the House the national development plan provides the funding to ensure delivery of these actions in the coming years.

This Government is allocating unprecedented levels of funding toward improving active travel and greenway infrastructure throughout the country. For the first time, local authorities outside of the five cities can now apply for funding to the National Transport Authority, NTA, to support active travel improvements in towns and villages throughout the country, which is hugely positive. In our greenway programme, we are eager to see greenways better link in with local areas to ensure they become more than just tourism amenities and can connect local communities with each other and with local services.

Deputies will be aware that the national development plan commits towards Connecting Ireland, a massively ambitious plan for rural bus services throughout the country. This new plan seeks to improve the existing bus networks, add new bus services and enhance the current demand responsive transport network. Improved and more comfortable transport options will support passenger journeys to and from rural communities, creating opportunities for balanced economic growth and stronger regional development. The NTA is currently consulting on the draft proposals and I encourage all Deputies to take a look at those proposals for their areas and make suggestions as to how they might be improved.

I note the motion seemingly calls on NTA funding to be provided to expressway services.

Deputies will be aware that there are two types of public transport: publicly subvented public transport and commercially operated public transport. Taxpayer funding is provided to publicly subvented services through the public service obligation, PSO, programme. It is not provided to commercial services because they are commercial. It is a basic premise and also a feature of EU law.

During the pandemic, Expressway, like other commercial operators, was able to avail of temporary Government financial support. However, the impact of the pandemic has been profound on certain Expressway routes from Galway, Limerick, Cork and Belfast. Following the decision to cease operating these Expressway services, the NTA completed a detailed assessment of various corridors to determine whether it was necessary for a replacement PSO service to be introduced to ensure no loss of connectivity to the travelling public. The NTA concluded that other than the X8 from Dublin to Cork route, sufficient connectivity is provided by the remaining operators and that the public service obligation is adequately met by other rail and bus services, thereby negating the need for further intervention.

In relation to rail, the national development plan, NDP, commits to increased investment in the inter-urban and inter-regional rail network. This increased investment will permit track relaying on the Dublin to Cork line to increase line speeds. It has been facilitating track renewal works on the Ballybrophy line. It will also allow for improvements on the Limerick Junction to Waterford line. Importantly, a strategic rail review has commenced. It will examine all aspects of inter-urban and inter-regional rail on the island of Ireland. It will examine how to improve regional rail connectivity. The review will provide an investment framework for the development of the railway sector over the coming decades. As well as enhancing regional accessibility and supporting balanced regional development, it will consider the potential for high-speed rail links between the major cities. It will also consider the potential scope for improved rail services and infrastructure along the various existing or future potential corridors of the network, including the western rail corridor. It will provide the objective, evidence-informed basis we need to make investment decisions about the rail network. I expect a public that consultation phase on the review will commence in the next few weeks.

I note the motion also refers to two of our regional cities, Cork and Galway. I am glad to report that there are significant projects under way in both cities. I am even more pleased to report that this Government will deliver significant projects in all four regional cities. In Cork and Galway, public consultation is well under way on the BusConnects projects in each city, with the NDP committing to substantial completion of those projects by 2030. In rail, phase one of the Cork commuter rail programme was included in Ireland's national recovery and resilience plan. It is scheduled for completion by 2026, with both Ceannt Station and Oranmore station having committed funding in the next few years for upgrades required at both stations.

Early next year should see the completion of a feasibility study on possible future upgrades for the Athenry to Galway corridor. This Government and I recognise that we need to invest in our national, regional and rural road network. The NDP commits to maintaining the quality of the existing national road network, with approximately €2.5 billion earmarked for the protection and renewal of our existing assets across the State. Some €5.1 billion is also being allocated to new national roads out to 2030, which will enable better regional accessibility across the country, as well as compact growth. At a regional and local level, funding will allow the Department to continue to provide significant grant support for a range of protection and renewal programmes. Regional and local roads are a vital lifeline for rural communities and also act as public transport links for local link services as they exist today and will be expanded in the future.

Taking to the skies for a moment, I would like to highlight the new Regional Airports Programme 2021 to 2025, which was published this year. The new programme proposes a continuation of the subsidised air services between Dublin and the regional airport at Donegal. As part of the new programme, €10 million in capital and €3.9 million in operational support has been made available to the regional airports during 2021. A further €6 million was made available under state aid-approved schemes to help airports mitigate the effects of Covid-19. Overall in 2021, three regional airports, Donegal, Ireland West Airport Knock, and Kerry, will have been allocated almost €20 million in Exchequer supports. The two regional State airports in Cork and Shannon will have received €51 million in 2021. This level of funding of our State airports is simply unprecedented.

Finally, on aviation, I note that the motion calls on the Government to prepare a new all-island national aviation policy. However, I would note that since its departure from the EU, the UK is no longer required to implement the EU acquisin respect of civil aviation. Given that civil aviation is under the remit of Westminster, as it is a reserved matter, it operates under a different regulatory framework to civil aviation in Ireland. Air transport operations between the two jurisdictions are governed by the provision of EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Therefore, it is neither appropriate nor feasible for the next iteration of the national aviation policy to be approached from an all-island perspective. Obviously, the issue of improved cross-Border connectivity will continue to be considered under the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC. I am happy to inform the House in that regard that the Irish Government has agreed to take forward a review of potential options for supporting viable air services on two routes, Belfast to Cork and Derry to Dublin, as part of discussions on air connectivity. As I said at the outset, the spirit of this motion is broadly in line with the principles of this Government. However, it does not reflect the great work currently undertaken, nor our vision for the future of regional and rural transport services. It is about making sure that people have options.

Transport connectivity is hugely important for people who live and work in rural and regional Ireland. It is key to bringing life back into our towns and villages. To have strong local economies, and to give people real options for getting around, one needs good transport links, including good public transport options. Expanding the public transport network and increasing service levels in the ways set out in our policies and currently being delivered by our projects will lead to a balanced regional development and greater connectivity.

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