Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of money made available for park and ride facilities on an annual basis since 2005 to date in 2008; the procedures for obtaining such funding; the amount of money allocated to or drawn down by County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9861/08]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Transport the plans the Dublin Transportation Office or his Department have to provide park and ride facilities in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9862/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.

Public investment in park and ride facilities in the Greater Dublin Area including Co. Kildare is based on the DTO strategy for rail-based park and ride, adopted by my Department in 2005. The strategy recommends new or expanded parking facilities at 22 locations on the existing and planned rail network in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). Two of these sites are on the Maynooth line, and three on the Kildare line.

Following adoption of the DTO strategy, my Department made funding of €5 million available to local authorities in the GDA in 2006 for the development of park and ride facilities, followed by €1 million in each of 2007 and 2008. It is a matter for the local authorities to develop proposals and apply to my Department for funding. My Department has recently been in touch with the City and County Managers Association about accelerating the bringing forward of proposals for expenditure.

Iarnród Éireann provides car-parking facilities at its stations in County Kildare, and my Department has asked the company to forward details of current and planned car-parking capacity to the Deputy.

My Department has allocated over 2006 and 2007 €15,015,000 in Exchequer funding to Iarnród Éireann towards the cost of upgraded and enlarged car parking facilities at train stations throughout the country — €10,915,000 approved in 2006 and €4,100,000 approved in 2007. This funding included €1.2 million for Leixlip Louisa Bridge station car park, €1.4 million for Newbridge station car park, and €95,000 to link Sallins Station with a new car park.

In addition, feasibility studies for the upgrade of car parks at Kildare, Kilcock and Athy were funded as part of a countrywide programme of feasibility studies.