Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will speak on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I appreciate that I am not in the Department of Transport but I am a member of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which has discussed the importance of this matter. Therefore, while I do not come to this issue from a transport perspective, I am well aware of its importance. I note that the Government is not opposing the motion.

I am also aware, having watched the debate, that in both the motion itself and in the contributions of Deputies during the debate, there is support for the A5 project on all sides. However, as previously noted, the timings in relation to the A5 were dependent on a number of variables, including the report of the recently concluded public inquiry, an assumption of no further legal challenges and an agreement of a target cost with the contractor. However, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland is planning on the basis of the commencement of construction next year and completion, with the scheme closed out, by 2032 or 2033.

The motion notes that good transport links to the north west are vital for those who are working and living in the region. I will go into some further detail on connectivity between the north west and the rest of the country for those Deputies who are not from the region. I appreciate that I am speaking to many Deputies who are from the area. This outline is for the benefit of the House more broadly.

The regional airports programme 2021 to 2025 supports regional connectivity via a public service obligation, PSO, or air services scheme in accordance with EU Regulation 1008/2008. Based on a competitive tender process, financial support is provided under this scheme for airlines to operate essential air services to isolated areas, in other words, areas that are not adequately served by alternative transport services to administrative, business, education and medical centres. This scheme currently supports one PSO route between Donegal and Dublin. The current contract in place commenced on 26 February 2022 and will run for three years, with the provision to extend for one further year. This contract provides two-way air services twice daily, which facilitates same-day return trips from Donegal and improves international connectivity from Dublin. This demonstrates the Government’s commitment to ensuring continued connectivity to that region. In line with the Government’s commitment to balanced regional development, this service will continue to support the growth of the economy and tourism in the north-west region, as well as improve accessibility for the good people of Donegal.

I will now speak more broadly on improvements in public transport that have been presented to me by the Department of Transport. I should note that I have not used these services and the Deputies present will be much more familiar with them than I am. I am told by the Department of Transport that examples of new and improved bus services include a new service between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny, route 264, as well as additional capacity on services in Inishowen. Investment has also taken place in Local Link services in counties Monaghan and Cavan. In March 2022, tickets for TFI Local Link Cavan-Monaghan services became available on the TFI Go app, making Cavan-Monaghan the first TFI Local Link in the country to accept cashless payments on its service. Since then, the TFI Go app has launched nationally on TFI Local Link services, meaning that all regular rural services now accept cashless payments, offering passengers a more convenient way to pay and savings of up to 30% compared with cash.

The all-island strategic rail review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. It will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland to 2050, in line with net-zero commitments in both jurisdictions. Work on the review is now at an advanced stage and it is expected that a draft will be published for the purposes of strategic environmental assessment, SEA, and public consultation in July.

Following the SEA process and finalisation of the report, it is expected that it will be submitted for final ministerial and Government approval on both sides of the Border. Should there continue to be an absence of Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, approval will be considered, taking into account the decision-making framework set out in the UK's Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022, or relevant legislation in place at the time. It is expected that the final review will be published in the autumn of 2023. The review has proposals for improving rail connectivity to the north west.

The broad intent of this motion is in line with the principles of this Government and the commitments it has made to help progress the A5 project in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland. While it is the case that in the context of the St. Andrews Agreement in 2007 the Irish Government stated a commitment to provide £400 million towards the project, that commitment has long been superseded by developments, and the current commitment is as stated in the NDP. The current funding commitment under the Stormont House Agreement and implementation plan is £75 million. The Government has made provision for £25 million in its NDP capital ceilings for 2023 and a further £50 million is what I am told will be available in subsequent years. I would not mind checking that and coming back to the House to confirm that those figures are in pound sterling as opposed to any other currency. I will double-check that. I thank Deputies for their time.

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