Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Transport the level of investment to date in a project (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15780/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Major investment has been made in the national roads programme in the county, including the N7 Southern Ring Road and the N7 Limerick to Nenagh. However under Section 19 of the Roads Act 1993 allocation of funding in relation to the construction or maintenance of national roads is a matter for the NRA. To date, under Transport 21, a total of €1.78m has been invested in regional bus priority and park and ride in County Limerick, while €720,000 has been provided to County Limerick/North Cork Transport Group trading as Rural Bus under the Rural Transport Programme.

Public Transport projects funded under Transport 21 in the period 2006 to date which have benefited the Limerick area include:

the new intercity railcars which have been introduced on the Limerick-Dublin route as part of the €402 million upgrade of the intercity fleet;

the upgrading of refuelling and maintenance facilities at Limerick Depot on which €1.75 million was spent in 2006;

the elimination of speed restrictions on the Limerick-Dublin line at a cost of €16 million to date;

upgrade works on the rail system in Limerick and improvement works on the Limerick-Ballybrophy line which included track renewal, signal upgrading, level crossings, structures and fencing, as part of the Railway Safety Programme;

The commencement of construction of Phase 1 of the Western Rail Corridor, from Ennis to Athenry, which will facilitate the introduction of a rail service from Limerick to Galway.

I understand from Bus Eireann that the Limerick area has benefited from the deployment of 9 new city buses and 3 of the 4 commuter coaches planned as part of the major Transport 21 funded fleet renewal programme being undertaken by the company.