Written answers

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Transport Infrastructure

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to study the best means of providing transport infrastructure, with particular reference to the funding of major projects, whether by public private partnership or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24045/15]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The evaluation of transport infrastructure investment, including how best to fund the provision of infrastructure, is a constant process within my Department and its agencies. This work is a vital aspect of ensuring value for money is achieved. As an aid to developing capital investment plans, work on an evidence-based framework to guide key land transport investment decisions has been undertaken.  This work, which will be set out in a forthcoming report  "Investing in Our Transport Future" considered the issue of potential alternative sources of funding. 

The most important source of non-Exchequer transport funding to date has been through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programmes and the Exchequer already has significant forward commitments relating to the road network in the form of availability payments to remunerate private investment in PPP projects that are not tolled. Consideration of additional use of the PPP mechanism must be cognisant that any such further commitments will reduce the funding available in the future to meet basic infrastructure maintenance and upkeep requirements and will limit future potential for investment in necessary capacity development.

Alternative funding sources will, of course, continue to be used as appropriate, such as in the case of European Investment Bank funding which is providing a loan to part-fund the current Luas Cross City Project, and every effort will be made to maximise draw-down from EU funding programmes and to access EIB loans although such alternative, additional sources of funding are likely to be limited in the short to medium term. Furthermore, "Investing in Our Transport Future" emphasises that a major part of our funding challenge is with regard to maintenance requirements which are more challenging to fund through alternative mechanisms.

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