John O'Mahony (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank him for his update on transport matters. He spent much of his presentation on the issues in Dublin - the increased demand for public transport and the plans to increase services on the DART, the Luas and so on. As it is an important matter that can be controversial, I will defer to my urban colleagues in that regard.

The Minister also referred to increased investment in rural links, from €12 million to €21 million, which is welcome. Nevertheless, one of the reasons there is so much congestion in, say, Dublin is that the transport routes in other parts of the country are not near where they need to be. As a result, most people from rural Ireland drive when they have to travel to Dublin. There are also issues with transport in rural Ireland that need to be addressed. Rail travel from the west has improved substantially on the Galway and Sligo lines, but there is severe overcrowding on these services, especially at peak times. Will the Minister comment on the plans in plans to increase services in order that more people from rural Ireland will be able to use public transport, something might also ease the congestion in Dublin?

The Minister referred to the NTA engaging with Galway City Council to create a traffic plan for Galway city. In some ways, at times the traffic in the city is even more severe, albeit on a smaller scale, than in Dublin. Gridlock is a daily occurrence. Will the Minister provide an update on the engagement on or when the strategy will be finalised?

The Minister addressed the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport on preparations for Brexit, legislation for which was passed in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick's Day. While everybody hopes the legislation will not have to be implemented and that there will not be a no-deal Brexit, will the Minister outline the more long-term strategies? I asked him a similar question when he appeared before the committee. It appears that, whether there is a crash-out or some form of a deal, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union and it would be a shock to everybody if it ultimately was to remain in it or had a change of mind.

The trans-European transport network, that is, European funding for transport connections in Europe, will affect congestion and other issues in Ireland. A review has been promised, but in the original plan the west of Ireland was not included, although the European Commissioner has guaranteed that the matter will be reviewed before 2023. Owing to Brexit, the Government is very much on top of matters through its involvement in the development of the western arc. The Minister might comment in that regard.

Another matter within the Minister's remit is one that was covered at the transport committee yesterday. The CEO and the chairman of Sport Ireland expressed their frustration at not getting answers from the Football Association of Ireland, FAI, on governance issues, recent appointments and issues surrounding a loan from the previous CEO. In the other House last week the Minister indicated that Sport Ireland was engaging with the FAI and that it would provide him with a report on these issues. In the light of yesterday's meeting, will he comment on the concerns raised by the agency that deals with the FAI and other sports bodies?