Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will direct the relevant agencies and authorities to invest in park and ride facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5920/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department supports park and ride as having a role to play in encouraging commuters to switch to public transport. The provision of dedicated park and ride facilities at railway stations is a matter for Irish Rail, and at Luas and proposed Metro sites it is a matter for the RPA. Local authorities also have a role in providing commuter park and ride facilities. Good progress has been made in recent years in the provision of park and ride facilities.

Iarnród Éireann have begun a network-wide programme of expanding or developing new car parks, with the assistance of Exchequer funding, to cater for record demand. Within the past year car parks have opened/been extended at eight train stations, namely, Leixlip Louisa Bridge, Mallow, Ennis, Tullamore, Arklow, Limerick, Hazelhatch and Gormanston, resulting in over 1,350 extra car parking spaces. New car parks are also due to open over the next eighteen months at Portmarnock, Newbridge, Rush and Lusk, Donabate, Laytown, Portarlington, Carlow, Wicklow and Gorey and at Limerick Junction over the next year. I understand that Iarnród Éireann is currently examining a number of other locations for their suitability for expansion. To date Exchequer funding of €21 million has been allocated for the car park extension programme.

Besides existing park and ride facilities on the current Luas network, the RPA is planning further facilities on the Luas extensions and the Metro to open at the same time as these lines.

My officials have also held discussions with local authorities in Dublin and in the regional cities with a view to identifying and progressing bus-based park and ride facilities in their areas and as part of my recently launched "Smart Travel — A Sustainable Transport Future" I will be asking local authorities to fast track the development of such facilities.