Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on funding a feasibility study for light rail in Galway, its regions and other such regions as appropriate. [26486/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Transport 21 sets out the Government's transport capital investment priorities for the ten-year period 2006 to 2015. In developing Transport 21, my Department took account of the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines and a range of other sectoral and regional policy and planning documents, including the Galway Transportation and Planning Study.

Transport 21 includes a commitment to the provision of a commuter rail service to Galway via Oranmore and an improved bus service, including bus priority measures for Galway City. These improved transportation services for Galway city are to be supported by the settlement strategy including the development of the Ardaun corridor to the east of Galway city, as set out in the Galway Transportation Planning Study agreed by Galway City and Galway County Councils. That study did not propose light rail in the city.

I recently received a copy of the submission by Galway City Council on the next National Development Plan to the Department of Finance. This submission list a feasibility study into light rail as among its specific investment priorities. However, it provides no real supporting evidence for this proposal, nor does it suggest any reasons for departing from the recommendations of the Galway Transportation Planning Study.

I therefore have no proposals to fund a feasibility study on light rail, nor is there any funding in Transport 21 to finance the provision of light rail in Galway.