John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions he and the NTA are taking to ensure adequate modes of transport and transport links are provided to ensure the viability of the Clonburris strategic development zone, SDZ, development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17735/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister will be aware that South Dublin County Council is at present in the advanced stages of planning for a new town at Clonburris by means of a strategic development zone. This will be a new town with approximately 8,500 residential units of accommodation, as well as commercial centres, schools and so forth, located between Clondalkin and Lucan, with a population in excess of 20,000. My question is very specific. What modes of transport are being planned to sustain this new town?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Curran for the question. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in regard to public transport. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport in the greater Dublin area. In 2016 the NTA published its transport strategy for the greater Dublin area 2016-2035, which provides the overarching framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services for Dublin over the next two decades. As the Deputy is aware, the NTA has worked closely with South Dublin County Council on the Clonburris strategic development zone, given the public transport considerations for the scheme, such as the future of Kishogue rail station and rail services and bus services in the Clonburris, Lucan and Clondalkin areas.

In regard to Kishogue station, this was built in 2009 but is not yet opened for rail services. I understand the NTA has previously informed the Deputy that Kishogue station will be opened once development occurs in the residential areas near the station. I am advised by the NTA that it currently envisages opening Kishogue station in 2020 as development in Clonburris becomes occupied.

Turning to rail services, Clonburris will be served by the same number of trains that currently serve Adamstown, including those which are provided via the Phoenix Park tunnel which re-opened in 2016. Looking to the future, the DART expansion programme, as provided for by the national development plan, will deliver significantly higher frequencies and capacity along the Kildare line. This includes electrification through Clonburris to Hazelhatch-Celbridge. In the meantime, improvements to the current service are planned in advance of the full delivery of that project.

In regard to the provision of bus services that will serve Clonburris, the NTA intends in the short term to provide a new orbital bus service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght. As part of the BusConnects network review, a number of high-frequency local, radial and further orbital services are being considered to serve Lucan and Clondalkin, some of which will serve Clonburris directly.

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Some of these can be adapted to serve Clonburris as development occurs in the future. These proposals will be part of a series of public consultations on the BusConnects programme, which the NTA will be commencing shortly. I am advised that the NTA will continue to provide support to South Dublin County Council and will remain closely engaged on transport considerations as Clonburris develops.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The only specific the Minister gave was to indicate that Kishogue station would open in 2020. Clonburris is located between Clondalkin and Lucan where, in many regards, there are considerable transport infrastructure deficits currently. The Minister's recently announced plan clearly indicated that the Lucan Luas line would not open until after 2027. I am concerned about phasing the infrastructure to which the Minister referred. The timelines are not very clear and the local authority is trying to build 8,500 units of accommodation without knowing when additional buses will be made available, whether they will be on city centre or orbital routes and at what stage they will be made available. The Minister said the plans will evolve and that the NTA will stay in close contact with South Dublin County Council but that is not sufficient to plan a town of this magnitude and to make it sustainable in the future.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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We have had an awful lot of special pleading today, for various areas, including the question of SDZs in County Louth and elsewhere, and I understand that. However, a sensitive response has been given to what is happening in the area. It is being given the special treatment which is often accorded to such zones and it would not be fair to suggest it is being neglected. I understand the frustration the Deputy has over the lack of detail but this is a couple of years away and we cannot anticipate exactly what will happen.

The role of the NTA is to develop the SDZ in south Dublin and it has engaged in a proactive way with South Dublin County Council to ensure appropriate public transport arrangements were considered for the sustainable development of the designated lands at Clonburris. These lands were designated an SDZ on the basis of their economic and social importance to the State in terms of the provision of, inter alia, a residential development, educational facilities, commercial activities, rail infrastructure, emergency services and community facilities. Public transport considerations are required to give improved transport for current residents of the area so that the development of Clonburris does not increase congestion on existing routes or services and to ensure that, as it is developed, it is matched with public transport services to ensure development occurs in a sustainable way.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister is right that we do not know what is going to happen and I did not ask him to say that, in 2020 or 2021, we would have a certain number of buses. However, I want a commitment on the level of transport infrastructure that will be made available in tandem with the housing development. I am looking for a commitment that, as we hit milestones along the way such as 1,000 or 2,000 units of accommodation, the infrastructure, particularly bus and rail transport, will be made available in tandem.

When I raised this previously the Minister gave a similar reply and referred me to the NTA. The NTA said that, in terms of implementation, it would publish an integrated implementation plan for the greater Dublin area in the coming months but I do not think that has been published. Has it been published? The authority stated this would deliver a greater degree of certainty in terms of timeframes for the delivery of transport infrastructure and services, including those which support the development of Clonburris.

It is the detail I am concerned about. The two communities in Clondalkin and Lucan are already experiencing a transport deficit in infrastructure terms. Can we have timelines to correspond with development on the lands? We cannot do the two things separately and they have to be done in tandem but I do not get a sense of that being the plan from the Minister's reply.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputy does not get a sense of that in my reply because I do not know the answer.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Why not?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am constantly asked for detail of that type but the question should be addressed to the NTA.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Hang on. When I ask the Minister a question he says it is for the NTA to answer but when I go to the NTA, they tell me it depends on what the Minister gives them. Are the Minister and the NTA not talking to each other? It is the most frustrating experience.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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In due course, the NTA will supply the Deputy with an implementation plan and he knows that.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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In October it said it would be within months.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am not going to dictate to the NTA-----

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister ask the NTA?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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-----the operation of services which we have designated to it.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister used to find this frustrating when he was on this side of the House.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I will convey what the Deputy has said to the NTA and I will try to extract a certain amount of further information. The NTA has said, quite clearly, that a bus service will serve Clonburris in the short term and that it is intended to provide a new orbital bus service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght. As part of the BusConnects network review, a number of high-frequency, local, radial services and further orbital services are being considered to serve Lucan and Clondalkin, some of which will serve Clonburris directly. Some of these can be adapted to serve Clonburris as development occurs in the future. The Deputy should not ask me to provide the bus timetables for several years in advance. I am not going to do that.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I did not ask the Minister to provide the bus timetables. I asked the Minister to provide, in a co-ordinated way, that the infrastructure would be there alongside the phased development.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Let us not be argumentative, Deputy Curran.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Sorry. I was provoked.