Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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It is nice to see the Minister of State. She is very welcome. I raise the very serious issue of the lack of progress in regard to both public and road transport infrastructure for Limerick. It is causing major concern to people across the city and county.

I will cite a few of the key areas on which I would like to get a response from the Minister of State. The first is the northern distributor road. This is a key element of infrastructure for Limerick city. Right now we have serious traffic congestion at the Mackey roundabout. We have serious problems across the University of Limerick campus. At its peak level of busyness, it can take up to 45 minutes to get from the back of the campus to the front gates. We have massive traffic issues across Corbally, all of which would be relieved by the northern distributor road. Unfortunately, the senior Minister has set his face against this road being developed. It is not mentioned in the national development plan.

Then we get on to the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy plan, except we do not get on to that because even though it was supposed to be produced last year, we are still waiting for it. In fact, we do not know what is going to be in that plan at this point in time.

We then have the M20 motorway, something the Minister of State's party colleagues have spoken about for years. The linkage between Cork and Limerick is something I very much support. The vision that most of in the west have is for an Atlantic corridor linking Cork, Limerick and Galway, acting as a counterweight to Dublin and being able to use those synergies to produce a real development alternative for business, people and commuters. Unfortunately, again we seem to be on hold. The senior Minister has set his face against the M20 motorway. He is on record as saying that at a committee meeting on transport just two weeks ago. This is a road that people lose their lives on every year. It is a horrific road. My brother-in-law almost passed away in an horrendous accident on it just two years ago. The project is on hold. The argument being made by the Minister of State's senior colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is that we need to focus on public transport instead. I do not agree with him. I do not think it should be either-or; we need to do both.

Let us look at public transport. The Government has been in place for nearly two years and the Minister has spoken about developing trains across Limerick city. I support that call. Sinn Féin is on record as far back as 2014 calling for a light rail network across Limerick city. Again, all we have had is talk. We need to see simple wins across Limerick city. For example, the Ballybrophy line, which runs into Limerick city, could be upgraded, but instead of doing it rapidly the Department is doing it literally on a piecemeal basis. Just two miles were upgraded last week. We still have six miles to do. We cannot increase the speeds or look at additional services until we do that. Currently, the journey time between Limerick and Galway is just under three hours. We could have stations at Moyross, Corbally and Dooradoyle. We have heard the Minister talk about it, but the problem is we are two years into the Government's term and nothing, as such, is planned. We are talking about a rail review that will not be completed until the end of the year, at which point I predict there will be a further feasibility study and then the lifetime of the Government will effectively be at an end.

What we have had on the one hand is that the Government has put on hold key infrastructural projects that Limerick city badly needs while, at the same time, we have had lots of talk about public transport investments but no deliverables that make a difference. I will give a simple example. Right now, anyone who wants to go from Castletroy to the university, a very common trip, has to take a bus into town and get a bus back out because the service works on a loop basis. There are simple wins that could be implemented to make public transport much more effective. If I want my kids to use the bus service in my village of Castleconnell, there is a wait of three hours for a bus to get into Limerick city on a Saturday. These are simple wins, but we have seen no concrete measures to support people in Limerick. There is great frustration. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to talk about this issue in the House today. I am responding to it on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who has responsibility for public transport and roads.

Transport investment in Limerick in the coming years will be guided by the forthcoming Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy. I am sure the Senator is aware that the strategy is being developed by the National Transport Authority, NTA, in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. A draft strategy was published in September 2020 and was open for public consultation for eight weeks. The draft strategy was based on a comprehensive analysis of population projections, development density and future travel demand patterns. This allowed for careful consideration of transport needs across Limerick and the potential role all modes of transport might play in meeting those needs.

The draft strategy that was published for public consultation placed a strong focus on compact growth in line with the national planning framework, NPF. It supported the development of sustainable transport patterns to enable the planned expansion of the metropolitan area and help meet the projected travel demand set out in the NPF. Since the conclusion of the public consultation exercise, the NTA has conducted further analytical work to inform the next iteration of the strategy. I understand that the key issues raised in the submissions received as part of the public consultation process related to the need for a stronger vision within the strategy; the need for clearer modal shift targets and; and the need for greater consideration of Limerick regeneration areas.

I understand that the role of rail in the region was also raised during the public consultation and that role was further examined by the NTA for inclusion in a revised draft strategy. Planned sustainable transport investment in the Limerick metropolitan area in the coming years includes upgrades to pedestrian facilities, a radical improvement in the cycle network and delivery of a BusConnects programme. BusConnects Limerick is an ambitious programme which will provide a step change in the quality of the bus services in the city by providing for extensive bus priority, new vehicles and increased service frequencies.It will be implemented alongside a range of behavioural change measures to encourage more people to make sustainable options their preferred modes of transport. The delivery of BusConnects Limerick alongside improved and expanded active travel options in the city can facilitate a modal shift and have a positive impact on transport emissions.

There are also a number of proposed national road projects in the Limerick area, as the Senator alluded: the N21-N69 Limerick to Foynes road, including the Adare bypass; the N21 Abbeyfeale bypass; the N21 Newcastle West bypass; the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction road; and the N20-M20 Cork to Limerick road. These national road projects are at varying stages in the development process and the national development plan, NDP, funding envelope up to 2030 will enable their progression through the public spending code and the statutory approvals process.

I understand that the NTA will soon undertake a second round of public consultation on a revised draft Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy. Once the public have had their say, it is intended to finalise the strategy and publish it as the completed transport framework for the city. When finalised, it will set out the framework for investment in transport for the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area for the next 20 years. Importantly, the strategy will be integrated within relevant land use plans. This integration is crucial if we are to enable the emergence of more sustainable modes of transport in a Limerick that provides citizens with better access to work, education and leisure opportunities through improved transport infrastructure. I look forward to the delivery of the much improved transport network in the Limerick area in the years ahead.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Before I call Senator Gavan, I wish to acknowledge the presence of Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan and his guests. I thank them for their visit to the Chamber.

Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am disappointed, though. The elephant in the room is the fact that we do not have a republished Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy. The first draft was so poor that councillors from all parties said it was not fit for purpose. It was due to be published last October. We are now heading towards the end of February and it is still not published. We do not know what is in it.

There is a lack of commitment to targeted deliverables that will make a difference for people in Limerick. I have cited examples of simple changes to bus services that could make a difference. I have cited the example of the Ballybrophy line, the upgrade of which needs to be finished so as to allow for increased speeds and additional services. These would be simple wins for the Government but they are not being delivered. Of most concern is that there is no mention of the northern distributor road, which is further confirmation that the Government has abandoned a key project in Limerick's infrastructure.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Transport investment in Limerick and all other cities will be guided by their respective metropolitan area transport strategies. This is evidence-based transport planning, is in line with international best practice and will allow our cities to grow in a sustainable and compact manner.

The implementation of the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy will facilitate the sustainable development of the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area and the delivery of associated transport investment. The NTA will soon undertake a second round of public consultation on a revised draft strategy. Once the public have had their say, it is intended to finalise the strategy. I encourage everyone to take part in that consultation process, given that this strategy will outline the vision for the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area for the next 20 years.