Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I formally welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, to the House and thank him for being here.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I do not know how much he knows about the eastern bypass but I will take him through some of it and my understanding of it. The Dublin eastern bypass, or the Dublin Bay motorway, as it was called, was a proposal originally considered and drafted in 1971. That is a hell of a long time ago, over 40 years ago. The idea was that the bypass would complete the Dublin sea road across Dublin Bay and back through what we now know as Booterstown Marsh, up into the back of Booterstown Avenue, right across to the Radisson Blu Hotel, cutting across the N11, then proceeding to UCD, up to the Drummartin Link Road, in Goatstown, and eventually connecting to the then proposed M50. The M50 is now long in place.

We know there is huge congestion in that part of Dublin - or was. It is now reduced. The traffic demands are not what they used to be. We have also seen major urban sprawl and many people now moving out of Dublin because they cannot afford to live there. We therefore see the pressure points in Kildare, where the Minister of State's constituency is, in County Meath and as far as Laois, Westmeath, Wicklow and even Wexford. That is the reality. There has been a shift in people's desire to live in places outside the Dublin area, but we clearly have issues around Dublin.

There were three proposals for the bypass. One was a viaduct under a tunnel and one was a viaduct or bridge over Sandymount bay. These plans and this route fall into two local authorities, namely, Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. As the Minister of State will be aware, both local authorities have county and city development plans and both from time to time have changed the indicative line, that is, they have dropped it from the Dublin city plan and put it back into the plan.

The reality is that the tract of land that runs from Booterstown right up to UCD is possibly the most valuable in the country. It offers huge opportunities for housing and more. There is now a shift in the emphasis in transport to greenways, cycleways and bus connectivity. I understand that there is a desire on the part of the Green Party not to proceed with the eastern bypass, and I can see some of the logic in that. What I am trying to find out is whether due consideration has been given to releasing these lands or whether they are to remain frozen for another 30 or 40 years. These are exceptionally valuable lands with enormous potential for housing and the possibility of a route that would link UCD, which has major plans. As well as being a university, it has on-campus technology and a vision to develop an educational hub and a technological centre and to have a proper synergy between academia, commerce and the wider world.That would be really good. UCD is linked to this site and has exciting plans and opportunities to explore.

The question really is whether we are going to sit on this very valuable land, which is partially suitable for development for residential and other uses, including sport, recreation and cycling facilities, as well as having potential as a transport corridor, whether a bus corridor or something else. There is enormous value and potential in the land and it is time we had some indication of the Government's intention for it, working with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and the other State agencies involved in transport, and having regard to the need for consultation on connectivity and other issues with the two local authorities, that is, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Dublin City Council.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Boyhan for giving me the opportunity to address the Seanad on the Dublin eastern bypass corridor from Booterstown to Sandyford and the possibility of alternative uses being considered. I am sure he will acknowledge that there are a number of different actors within this sphere and that a lot of work has taken place over the past number of years. That work remains ongoing.

The national development plan identified the southern port access road as one of the projects to be progressed through early planning and appraisal during the period of the plan. The proposed project would provide connectivity between Dublin's north and south ports. Based on the NTA's transport strategy for the greater Dublin area for 2016 to 2035 and the Dublin city development plan for 2016 to 2022, a southern port access road connection between the Dublin Port tunnel and Poolbeg would also have served as the first part of a future Dublin eastern bypass.

Dublin City Council commissioned a feasibility study in 2020 to consider the southern port access road and its interface with the more long-term objective to deliver the Dublin eastern bypass. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Tll, also commissioned a study this year to review current policy, traffic assessments and requirements for the southern port access road and the eastern bypass. As part of that, it commissioned technical advisers to review the need for the eastern bypass scheme and the justification for proceeding. The review found that the need for the scheme, as originally identified, was no longer justified. The strategic assessment report concluded that the eastern bypass had limited benefits for the M50 and would adversely affect tunnel operations. It also concluded that should the scheme not progress, there was merit in considering some of the alignment for priority bus measures and active travel. TIl has briefed the relevant local authorities and the NTA. I understand the report will be published on the TIl website in the near future.

That briefing by Tll fed into the draft transport strategy for the greater Dublin area that was published in November 2021. Measure ROAD4 of that strategy states that the NTA will undertake an assessment of the potential for the southern section of the former eastern bypass corridor reservation, as provided for in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county development plan, to be used as a transport corridor accommodating sustainable transport modes. Pending completion of this assessment, the existing reservation should be retained.

I understand the NTA is currently in the process of reviewing the observations made during the consultation period and preparing a revised draft transport strategy for submission to the Minister for Transport for his consideration, in accordance with the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. The NTA anticipates further dialogue with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on potential alternative uses of the corridor following the finalisation and completion of the transport strategy process. I understand the Department of Transport has not been involved in these discussions, which have taken place at an agency and local authority level.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. The key point in his reply is that the review found that "the need for the scheme, as originally intended, was no longer justified". In addition, the strategic assessment report concluded that the eastern bypass had limited benefits for the M50. Those two factors were the reasons the scheme was originally proposed. I agree with the Minister of State on those points and I thank whomever prepared the reports because they came to the right conclusion. There is potential for a new transport corridor or some mechanism of connectivity from the coast right up to UCD and beyond and, more than that, there is also enormous potential for residential development. If the Minister of State has an opportunity to talk to the people involved, I would like to see there being greater synergy with the Land Development Agency, LDA, on this matter.

This is prime land, located in the wealthiest and most valuable location in the country, where we are crying out for residential accommodation, as well as student accommodation next to UCD. Let us use this resource to the benefit of everybody, whether for transport purposes or sport and recreational amenities, which are also terribly important. It is a vast tract of land. I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The material that was prepared for me by the Department of Transport does not deal with the question of the use of the corridor for housing. That is more properly a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In regard to the wider active travel measures being promoted by the Government, I am pleased that this year has seen another increase in the Department of Transport's overall funding for cycling and walking facilities, in line with the Government's prioritisation of active travel and greenways, as well as an increased allocation of €289 million administered through the NTA to active travel. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has also announced further funding of €60 million for investment in greenways. These allocations form part of an annual provision of €360 million promised in the programme for Government and being delivered by local authorities throughout the country.

The programme for Government sets out an ambitious and wide-ranging set of commitments on the provision of walking and cycling amenities, supported by an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation amounting to some €1.8 billion over the lifetime of the Government. The overall increase in funding across urban and rural Ireland will not only support the construction and improvement of safe and connected walking and cycling infrastructure but also the deployment of almost 250 dedicated active travel staff in local authorities around the country. The funding committed in budget 2022 for investment in sustainable transport projects is proof of the Government's commitment to active travel. I look forward to the development of the active travel plans, to include plans for the revised corridor, that will promote sustainable transport options for people in the locality and the wider Dublin area.