Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on public transport cutbacks since 2007; the percentage decrease year on year for the public transport investment programme since 2007; the budget reductions implemented via supplementary estimate since 2007; the discussions that he has had with other Departments regarding the projects that he will now prioritise in view of the changed economic circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21640/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Significant investment in public transport has been undertaken in recent years which has facilitated major improvements in the safety of our transport systems and increased capacity on bus and rail networks. Work on three new Luas lines is currently under way as is work on the new commuter line in Cork, the first phase of the western rail corridor and the first phase of the Navan rail line from Clonsilla to Dunboyne. More than €500 million has been invested in railway safety under the second railway safety programme. Some €154 million has been spent on traffic management in the past three years and more than 500 new buses have been purchased for Dublin, provincial city and regional bus fleets. Significant progress is also continuing in the planning of major projects. The oral hearing on metro north commenced in April and Irish Rail is on target to lodge a railway order application for the DART underground later this year.

Transport 21 will continue to provide the guiding strategic framework for Government investment in public transport up to 2015. However, in light of the changed economic circumstances, it was necessary to review investment priorities across all Departments, including mine, and these priorities have been discussed with Department of Finance. The Exchequer allocation for public transport this year is €628 million plus a carryover of €40.5 million from last year. This will exceed the 2007 outturn of €640 million by 4%. In the current difficult financial circumstances, this is a major achievement.

As I have stated on previous occasions, the provision of increased capacity will be the key consideration in determining investment priorities. Given their potential to greatly increase capacity on the public transport network, Metro north and the DART underground are key projects. Investment in increased bus capacity and bus priority measures are also priorities. The bus-related investment will be guided by the Deloitte cost and efficiency review of the CIE bus companies and the availability of current funding for public service obligations.

The selection of projects and programmes will be also guided by the overarching priorities set out by the Minister for Finance for capital investment, namely, strengthening the productive capacity of the economy and sustaining employment. Further major Transport 21 capital projects currently at the planning and design stage will be released for construction as soon as they are through statutory procedures and the available financial resources permit, consistent with the priorities I have outlined.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The public transport investment programme has been cut by 29% in the Minister's budget this year compared to last year. That is a reduction of €262 million. The Green Party put much emphasis on public transport and the Minister has done his best, however they have lost the budget battle at Cabinet. The Minister is attacking very important and constructive projects which are needed in the public transport investment programme. In his reply the Minister said the decisions are with the Minister for Finance. Can he outline what decisions have been already made on reductions in these transport investment programmes with particular reference to Metro west and the western rail corridor, and any other issues he may have on his file?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As I said to the Deputy, no such decisions have been taken. Transport 21 remains the framework for what we want to achieve. I have made it clear here and outside this House that I intend to bring every project I can right through to the stage where they go to tender and money is required. At that stage the final decisions will be made on what projects go ahead based on an economic appraisal of them. The public transport projects in planning, and which will be in planning over the next 12 months, include Metro north, Navan phase two, DART underground, the Maynooth line development, which is a series of resignalling and removal of level crossing, the RTPI, rail traffic passenger information, in Dublin, the Luas line BXD and metro west. The feasibility studies for the various transport studies in the provincial cities and towns will go ahead. GDA traffic management projects are going ahead. We are talking about providing two additional green routes in Cork, two green routes plus phase one of a third in Limerick city and county, one bus lane in Limerick city and two sectors of the bus lane in Galway city, and northern and southern bus lanes in Claregalway are already completed.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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My question related to what is not being proceeded with. We know those projects are proceeding but what is not going ahead? When one takes €262 million from the programme there must be cutbacks. The Minister says he cannot give them here, but the Green Party route to power, getting into bed with Fianna Fáil, has proved ineffective in the context of Green policies on increased public transport, which the Minister and the Green Party have failed to provide.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As I said to the Deputy on a number of occasions and just a few minutes ago, all the public transport projects in Transport 21 are being advanced this year.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Where will the cutbacks be? Where will they fall?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As I have tried to explain to the Deputy on a number of occasions, not all the roads or public transport budgets could be spent because of the number of projects still in planning. The crunch years for public transport projects and the decisions on whether they will go ahead will be next year and the year after.