Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Transport the funding available from his Department for the provision of park and ride facilities for commuters; the amount requested for such facilities each year to date in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9704/08]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Transport his Department's policy on the provision of park and ride facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9746/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 12 together.

It is my Department's policy to strongly support the role of park and ride facilities in encouraging people to transfer from private cars to public transport. In 2002, a DTO study on bus-based park and ride concluded that it has only a limited role to play in Dublin because of the city's size and consequent distances. Nonetheless, where there is a sound business case, my Department will consider funding appropriate bus-based park and ride facilities.

In 2005, my predecessor endorsed a DTO plan for rail-based park and ride in the greater Dublin area. This plan envisages a network of new or improved parking facilities at 22 sites on the existing and proposed rail network in the greater Dublin area.

Under Transport 21, funding is available for the development of park and ride facilities by Iarnród Éireann, the RPA and local authorities in the greater Dublin area and the regional cities, either as stand-alone projects or as part of larger rail-based investments.

Some €5 million was made available to local authorities in the greater Dublin area in 2006 for park and ride facilities, with a further €1 million in both 2007 and 2008. No applications for this funding were received in 2006 or 2007. I am currently awaiting proposals from local authorities for 2008 spending.

In 2006, over €10.9 million was made available to Iarnród Eireann for park and ride facilities at its stations in both the greater Dublin area and in the regions, while €4.1 million was available for this purpose in 2007.

No specific figures are available for Luas sites as park and ride site costs are included in their overall project budgets.

In 2006, €2.6 million was paid to Iarnród Éireann to carry out two feasibility studies to examine 34 station car parks in order to develop a prioritised investment programme, as well as for upgrading and increasing the capacity of rail station car parks and to progress planning and design work at a number of stations identified in the studies above. In 2007, some €3.7 million was paid to Iarnród Éireann to upgrade and expand the capacity of rail station car parks and as approved projects are completed, additional funding is being provided.

The park and ride sites associated with the proposed Luas and Metro lines in Transport 21 will open at the same time that the lines open for passenger services. These sites are determined by the RPA when individual railway order applications are submitted for the various lines and the cost of park and ride facilities is included in the overall budgets for the relevant lines.

I am awaiting proposals from local authorities in the greater Dublin area in respect of funding for park and ride facilities for the current year.

Funding is available to the local authorities in the regional cities for bus priority and park and ride measures. It is a matter for the local authorities to prioritise projects and apply to my Department for funding. To date under Transport 21, the local authorities in these cities have been focused on developing bus priority, which is an essential prerequisite for the operation of successful bus-based park and ride facilities.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I live in Gorey, as he may or may not know. It is a pity that they did not spend some of the €2.6 million and €3.7 million on building the car park instead of putting together a feasibility study on it.

There is a lack of foresight. The Minister did not really discuss the matter of a bus-based park and ride facility. There are a number of people who are able to drive the 40 or 50 miles to get to the periphery of the city — I refer primarily to Dublin. One gets to the periphery of this city in less than an hour and then one spends the next hour——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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And a half.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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——plus trying to get in the last six, seven or eight miles. The Minister touched on it, but I did not catch exactly what he said.

A significant cost must be borne by the State, whether through the land being in State possession or the State having to purchase the land, to make available large open-space car parks on the periphery of the city and then to make the buses available from the car parks via the bus lanes into the city. One only travels five to seven miles in the last 90 minutes in the car and any of us who travel from the countryside to this House realise that is the problem. I am sure the Acting Chairman does so.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy D'Arcy. I have been disappointed with the lack of progress on precisely the kind of park and ride facilities he mentioned. I am not sure that the study completed in 2002, which seemed to pour a little cold water on the idea of bus-based park and rides, still holds true at this stage and I have asked officials in the Department to examine this matter. We all come from the greater Dublin area, one way or another, and given the increase in population and traffic, the issue should be revisited.

The committee questioned the county managers recently. I would dearly like to see more park and ride facilities in the vicinity of Dublin, even as far out as Deputy D'Arcy suggests. People do not want to sit in their cars for a period of time. If one can get to a bus, rail or Luas station, such facilities should be available. People will leave their cars there and as the transport system improves in the city, including with buses, they will increasingly use such facilities.

One element of it is park and ride and when those facilities are available where the Deputy suggests, one needs the frequent regular bus service that uses the bus lanes. Once people have that certainty, they will move forward.

South County Dublin County Council submitted a significant application for a park and ride facility but it was shot down because it was not in accordance with the development plan. I was disappointed, but it was a matter for the board which had its reasons. I agree with the Deputy that we need to fast-track this issue.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I suggest the Minister write to the NRA or to the relevant local authorities to see whether there are off-cuts of land that may be suitable for this type of development close to motorway intersections. One would never know what could happen. Perhaps private enterprise could become involved. People are sitting on money out there because they are not prepared to go into the residential construction business at present. Perhaps there is an opportunity in this area, whether through a PPP or through Government backing. If the land belongs to the State and if somebody is prepared to open up such a facility, we could save thousands of man hours through people not having to sit in their cars.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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My experience, and I imagine that of other Deputies including the Acting Chairman, regarding this saga in Dublin about park and ride facilities for the DART and commuter rail and bus-based park and rides is that the local authorities and CIE play pass the parcel. When people try to pursue a development with CIE, it passes the matter on to the local authority and vice versa. Does the Minister agree that up until recently, there was no coherence in this regard?

The Joint Committee on Transport discussed this matter with eight county managers including four managers from Dublin and one from Meath. Has the Minister taken a similar initiative to encourage them to take action? The point was made earlier that we must provide regular and swift bus services from park and ride facilities. I was interested to hear the South Dublin County Manager had applied for a bus licence to operate the park and ride facility from the park. Would the Minister encourage this type of action?

What level of funding is provided under Transport 21 for park and ride facilities?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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As regards An Bord Pleanála policy and the specific refusal of the application mentioned, it is the policy of An Bord Pleanála to take on board stated Government policy in respect of incineration and other major national infrastructural projects. Has the Government written to An Bord Pleanála stating it is Government policy to encourage park and ride facilities? If not, will the Minister do so immediately?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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An Bord Pleanála must take into account and have regard for Government policy but it cannot ignore a local development plan which was the problem in this case.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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It does and did so on incineration.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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It cannot do so. I will take up the matter with An Bord Pleanála although in a general sense only and not in terms of specifics.

On Deputy Broughan's point, I agree that some councils on the periphery of Dublin and some of the Dublin councils have been playing pass the parcel a little in respect of this issue being one for the transport company rather than them. However, that has changed. I have spoken with the CCMA, the representative body of managers, and have emphasised the need for integrated thinking in respect of transport in terms of park and ride facilities, etc..

Deputy Broughan referred to the application by South Dublin County Manager, Mr. Joe Horan, for a bus licence. Cork County Council has licensed a bus operator and the service is operating successfully on a public private partnership, PPP, basis.

On Deputy D'Arcy's point, I will pursue with the NRA and local authorities whether there are parcels of land available that might be suitable for the type of facilities mentioned.