Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Ryan for her ongoing advocacy. I know she wrote to and communicated with the NTA last month regarding Annacotty Business Park I commend her on that. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport. It gives me an opportunity to provide Senator Ryan and the House with an update on sustainable mobility options in Limerick.

The Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy has been developed by the NTA to deliver an accessible, integrated transport network that enables the sustainable growth of Limerick up to 2040, allowing it to take its place in Europe as a city of its size, as Senator Ryan said, including the upgraded bus system for the area. Significant progress has been made in delivering key projects detailed in the Limerick-Shannon region, including the BusConnects Limerick programme, as the Senator indicated. BusConnects will be transformative for all five of our cities, including Limerick. Two years ago, the NTA carried out an extensive review of the bus network in Limerick, in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council, and Bus Éireann, and with the specialised expertise of transport designers Jarrett Walker and Associates. Following public consultation, the NTA published its final new bus network for Limerick in December 2023. The redesign of the bus network is one of the nine key elements of BusConnects Limerick that aims to transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more useful to more people. The new bus network will enable more people to avail of public transport, resulting in increased access to a greater number of schools and workplaces across Limerick city. Overall, approximately 41% of residents will live within 400 m of a high-frequency bus route, running every 15 minutes or better. In addition to the above, the first phase of battery-electric bus charging infrastructure came on stream at Bus Éireann’s Roxboro depot in Limerick last year, allowing 34 double-deck battery-electric buses to enter passenger service in Limerick also in 2024. The second phase of battery-electric bus charging infrastructure was substantially complete at the end of 2024, and an additional 21 double-deck battery-electric buses are expected to enter passenger service throughout this year.

Regarding the matter raised by Senator Ryan in respect of the design of the network and the exclusion of Annacotty Business Park, the new bus network was published in draft form in March 2023 for public consultation, during which in excess of 650 responses to this consultation were received. This feedback was taken into account in the design of the final new network plan.During the public consultation process, the NTA received feedback about the potential to extend the service to Annacotty Business Park. On review, it was decided that the provision of service to Annacotty Business Park through the Connecting Ireland programme would be a more efficient way to connect the business park with public transport. The NTA is currently working with Bus Éireann to identify how and when this need will be met and officials in the Department of Transport continue to engage with the NTA on the matter. Senator Ryan made reference to that. In her letter to the NTA, she wrote about the trial experience, which we should look at again. I will bring her concerns to the Department.

More generally, improvements in bus services in Limerick city proposed via BusConnects and the Limerick Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy will ensure a range of sustainable transport options are available to the people of Limerick. The strategy also recommends a number of improvements to rail infrastructure in the area, including a new rail station in Moyross, increasing the frequency of services on the Ballybrophy line up to two trains per hour, dual track between Limerick Junction and Colbert Station and the upgrading of Colbert Station.

In addition, the final report of the all-Ireland strategic rail review, which will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland over the coming decades and was published in July last year, calls for proposals to improve rail services in the Limerick area, including the electrification of the route between Dublin and Limerick, an upgrade to Limerick Junction and the Limerick Junction to Waterford line, along with a spur from Sixmilebridge and Cratloe to Shannon Airport.

I thank the Senator for her contribution. The reply may not be what she wants, but she has made a good case in the House today.