Results 8,441-8,460 of 26,185 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I will move on to a local matter, the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy, LSMATS. We had a public consultation. We can take it from Ms Graham's presentation that commuter rail will be included. It is also included in the NDP. I have three questions. When will the NTA run further public consultation? Will the NTA confirm that commuter rail is included? The draft...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is great. Will the rail commuter network be included in the second draft?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is Mr. Creegan saying quarter one or January for the public consultation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I just wanted to be certain. I thank Mr. Creegan for that. I look forward to that when it comes to public consultation. He will appreciate the northern distributor road is a key piece of infrastructure for Limerick. I welcome the fact it will be in the revised NDP. Obviously, on the overall observations and the revised plan, I am big into public engagement and I welcome that. I want...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I should say it is the Adare-Foynes route but it involves the bypass.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: When the approval goes to tender, how long would it typically take to appoint contractors to build the project?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Will Mr. Walsh explain that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: How much will this project cost?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Roughly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Outside of the funding, quarter four of 2022 is when it is likely to go to tender. Mr. Walsh expects that, within the year 2023, the contractor will be in place. If funding is then available, how long will it take to build the route?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Therefore, 2026 is the earliest the route would be ready.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I would like to come back to the cost of the projects. I will then move to the question of the M20, on which my views are well known. It is a project that is very important, along with the Foynes route. Where does that process stand at the moment? Mr. Walsh might answer that first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: When does Mr. Walsh expect it will go to public consultation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Will that be the preferred route?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I do not need to be careful. I am going to spell it out. I believe there should be a motorway. I believe there needs to be an upgrade of the existing rail line between Limerick Junction and Limerick city. Am I correct to say the current analysis appraisal is about the use of existing resources first? We have public land where a second rail line was taken up between Limerick Junction and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It was three.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Therefore, the one across country is no longer being considered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: There are three routes. One is the upgrade of the existing rail line. The second was an old rail line that had been taken up and is privately owned now, which will go from Charleville, to Macroom, to Patrickswell and then to Limerick. The other went cross-country from Charleville to Bruree and right across to Killonan. Which two are being considered? Obviously, Limerick Junction to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is quite significant if it is down to two, to be honest. I believe it is not proper use of the public purse where there is an existing rail line with only one track. We should put a second one down and see how it works, and that is the most important thing of all. The second point is that €3 billion has been put out as the overall cost of the project. I do not believe that...