Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank all Deputies for their contributions to the debate on a new vision for transport in Galway and other areas. In the motion and contributions from individual Deputies during the debate, we can see the range of challenges and opportunities that exist and the progress which has been made to date in reorientating our transport system towards sustainable transport. We are all in agreement about wanting to provide a comprehensive public transport network that serves the needs of all members of society in Galway and beyond. As the House is aware, the Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options. Public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. Budget 2023 helps to support this objective and is a further positive development for public transport passengers across the country.

With regard to transport provision in areas other than Galway, the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan 2021-25 is a key component of the Government's ambitions in this area. It will significantly increase the number of bus routes and frequency of existing services across the country. Connecting Ireland proposes to expand the public transport network in rural areas and increase service levels. The NTA is planning for an overall increase of approximately 25% in rural bus services as part of the five-year Connecting Ireland rural plan. Hundreds of rural villages and areas will, for the first time, be served by a viable public transport link.

The NTA began rolling out improved rural bus services as part of Connecting Ireland in 2022 in areas such as Castlebar and Tullamore. Improved Local Link services will continue to be rolled out from 2022 to 2025 under Connecting Ireland. An allocation of €545 million will be made to public service obligation, PSO, routes and Local Link services in 2023. This will fund the delivery of enhanced rural transport services under the Connecting Ireland programme and new town services commencing with Carlow.

The Government also has ambitious plans for public transport infrastructure nationwide. The programme for Government commits to a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland. This is supported by the national development plan, NDP, which provides for €35 billion in Exchequer funds to maintain, enhance and improve transport infrastructure across the country over the next ten years.

Under Project Ireland 2040, spatial planning and capital investment are being linked in a meaningful way, while significant levels of investment are being put towards new public and sustainable transport initiatives. The substantial investment in transport in recent years and the ramping up of major projects, such as BusConnects in all five cities, including Galway; Connecting Ireland in rural areas; the Cork area commuter rail programme; DART+; and MetroLink, means the national public transport landscape will continue to transform for the better in the coming years.

The Government has made significant investment in recent years in 41 new intercity rail cars, which are expected to enter service in 2023. These new vehicles will enhance the capacity of the fleet and boost peak-time intercity capacity. The additional fleet may also allow for the redeployment of some existing fleet elsewhere on the network. In addition, the Minister for Transport is committed to nationwide rail service enhancements and provided funding of €6.5 million earlier this year under the infrastructure manager multiannual contract to upgrade the Nenagh rail line between Ballybrophy and Limerick. The replacement of old track on the line will substantially improve journey times and enhance safety of the line, allowing for the future operation of services at line speeds of up to 70 mph.

Regarding an independent study of light rail in Galway, I would like to reiterate that under Project Ireland 2040, spatial planning and capital investment are being linked to assist our climate targets through transport-orientated development. The proposal for a light rail transport system in Galway will be examined as part of the NTA's Galway metropolitan area transport strategy, which will facilitate an understanding of how the proposed system interacts with other public transport and land use in general. Studying light rail in isolation would remove these benefits and not provide an overall picture of the transport system needed to cater for medium- and long-term demand in Galway.

I would like to reiterate that the Government is fully committed to decarbonising the transport sector in line with our climate action plan and legally binding targets. The Minister for Transport will not reduce the level of ambition, including the Government's electric vehicle strategy. However, a perceived over-reliance on EVs to meet emissions reduction targets risks locking in further high levels of car dependency. In this context, a proposed reframing of the current 845,000 private EV target as an expected 30% share of the total car fleet by 2030 is not a reduction in the level of ambition, but rather seeks to better embed it in the wider sustainable mobility policy.

To help us to achieve our climate targets, it was decided that from 2019 no new diesel buses would be purchased for urban PSO bus fleets. In 2021, Galway became the first city in Ireland to have a fully hybrid PSO bus fleet. As part of the Government's transformative Pathfinder programme, which aims to accelerate sustainable transport projects that can be replicated across the country, the Athlone town bus fleet will shortly be fully transitioned to a zero emissions fleet.

Deputies will be aware that as part of BusConnects, the current fleet of buses will be converted to a low- and zero-emissions fleet, meeting rising demand and saving emissions in line with our climate action plan targets. Buses and shelters will be modernised, increasing accessibility and ensuring safe and enjoyable trips for passengers.

Public transport investment, including in bus and rail, can play a major role in decreasing CO2 emissions from the transport sector and provide workers, families and communities with an alternative and more sustainable mode of transport. As the Minister for Transport outlined at the start of the debate, the strategic rail review will examine the role of rail in supporting relevant policy objectives on the island of Ireland. This type of wide-ranging analysis of our island-wide rail system is crucial to our consideration of specific projects, and in that regard the House will be pleased to know the review will consider the potential scope for improved rail services along various existing and potential future corridors of the network. That scope will also include the potential afforded by disused and closed lines such as the western rail corridor. It will be one of the most significant reviews of the rail network on the island in many years and will provide a framework to develop an improved rail network in the years ahead.

I want to assure the House that the Minister for Transport fully recognises and emphasises the very important role public transport plays in all our lives and is aware of the concerns raised regarding the enhancement of public transport for travellers in Galway and other areas. The ambitious investment plan for the public transport sector over the coming years, such as BusConnects in Galway and Connecting Ireland in other areas, will go a long way toward achieving these goals and will help to improve people's quality of life and grow the economy in urban and rural areas through the provision of improved transport links.

I believe that with the work that has been done in recent years, the ongoing plans and future developments, we will achieve a better public transport system for the people of Ireland. I thank all Members for their inputs.

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