Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

94. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to ensure balanced regional development of transport infrastructure following the review of the national development plan. [51974/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What does the Minister plan to do to address the critical infrastructural deficits that cripple Ireland's transport networks the length and breadth of the State? What is he doing to address the fact the national development plan includes concrete measure sonly for the Dublin MetroLink, a project that has been in the pipeline for decades? The feeling is that he is leaving rural Ireland behind. What efforts will he make to ensure there is balanced regional development rather than referencing only one project in the NDP, which is the MetroLink in Dublin?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo a ardú, ach níl sé ceart faoi ar chor ar bith. He is not correct at all in his assertion. We have the largest ever national development plan, with €105 billion of investment between now and the end of the decade, and €245 billion-plus in total. Those are the facts. Now it is about delivery and we are seeing lots of our projects across the country coming through planning and starting to commence. I am sure the Deputy shares our commitment under the NDP and welcomes the investments we are making. Since assuming office, I have seen the impact of those investments, which are happening on a regional basis and in rural communities right across the Republic.

I will give a couple of examples. In Cork, I attended the contract signing for the M28 Ringaskiddy project, which will benefit the entire south-west region by providing much-needed improved access to the Port of Cork, thereby enhancing competitiveness for the region as a whole. In Limerick, I have been on site to see the progress being made on the Adare bypass. It is being delivered as the first phase of the overall N69 Foynes to Limerick project, which will play a similar role for the mid-west in improving access to the Port of Foynes and will be complemented by the work under way on reopening the rail link to the port as well. These are real projects that are actually happening. In the north west, we are funding Donegal County Council's trans-European transport network, TEN-T, improvement project - unfortunately, Deputy Charles Ward has left the Chamber - which will likely represent the largest single investment in infrastructure in the north west and the construction of which will be delivered through funding I have secured on behalf of our citizens as part of the NDP review.

That is just a snapshot of the investments being made by the Government. Wherever I have been since assuming office, I have seen at first hand the impact of new and improved bus services in rural Ireland and connectivity between rural towns, as the Minister of State outlined in his response to the previous question. Yes, we need to do a lot more. The NDP is fully funded and the projects we deliver will be transformative and will build on the progress already made.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Minister said, it is about delivery at this stage. All the projects he mentioned are projects that were previously announced. The NDP review did not bring anything new to the table. It was also scant on any real substance or detail. Most of the projects were on the books for years and some of them, like MetroLink, for decades. MetroLink, on the books for decades, is the only transport project the NDP review mentions. The Government is talking about new announcements but the people do not want announcements; they want project deliveries to happen across the island rather than being concentrated in Dublin. How many times has MetroLink been pushed out as an example of Government ambition when we have yet to break ground on it and there is still no plan to do so? The only thing that has changed over the years is the spiralling cost, which is now probably up to €23 billion. That is an astronomical amount of money. While an investment of €2 billion is substantial, it barely scratches the surface. Will the Government identify and deliver key projects? Will the commitments made in budget 2026 be part of that process?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Capital has been secured through the NDP. It is a fully funded multi-annual plan. In the coming weeks, each Department, including my own, will publish departmental NDP plans setting out specific projects. I could stand here for the next two hours listing the projects that are under way but I will give only a couple of examples. Phase 1 of the Cork area commuter rail programme is scheduled to be completed next year. There are ongoing station upgrades at Galway Ceannt and Oranmore, as well as the construction of a new Waterford Plunkett Station. These investments will increase accessibility and reliability for passengers, provide interconnectivity of different transport networks and further develop the overall availability of efficient public transport across a number of regions.

MetroLink is a critical project, which I understand the Deputy's party supports. This is the first Government to fund it.

It is not just for Dublin, the north Dublin region, Swords or the airport. It will be an economic driver for the whole region. A number of projects are all under way right across the country. We can actually see that. To answer the Deputy's question directly, we will be publishing a departmental NDP in the coming weeks and listing projects that are under way and how we are going to complete them.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

According to reports, the Government is set to hike public transport fees in this year's budget. We have heard that there is a €250 million funding gap and, as a result, commuters who are already crippled by rising rents and the cost of living are going to face fare hikes. I want the Minister to commit to retaining the reductions in public transport fares as part of this year's budget.

Earlier this year we were warned by officials in the Department of public expenditure that key infrastructure projects would not be delivered without increasing fares, but now we hear that services will be cut also. If the Government is trying to reduce carbon emissions and get people onto public transport, it cannot hike up the fares in this year's budget. We need an affordable, sustainable and reliable public transport system across every village, town and city on the island if we are serious about a modal shift and reducing our transport emissions.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Last year we saw the highest number of public transport passenger journeys that we had ever seen. There were about 330 million passenger journeys. The good news is that in the month of August we were up about 10.5% on the comparable month last year. We want to maintain a sustainable and affordable public transport system.

I advise the Deputy not to believe everything he reads in the newspapers in that regard. A balance is required to ensure that we continue investment in our public transport services and also investment in our roads. Along with the Ministers of State, Deputies Buttimer and Canney, later this year I intend to announce the 2026 roads programme, which will be a further increase on what we have been able to do this year. Delivery is key, and delivering faster and more efficiently. That is why the previous Government brought in the planning and development Act, which was opposed by others. That is fair enough. It is their right to do so. It is now about doing this efficiently and getting it done. We all share an absolute view that we need to maintain an affordable and sustainable public transport system for our people.