Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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235. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that in October 2012 the National Transport Authority published a report, Bus Rapid Transit Core Dublin Network, in which it was concluded, in relation to the Swords to Dublin city centre route, that while bus rapid transit may provide an interim partial transport solution in the shorter term, a higher capacity rail solution, such as a metro system, will ultimately be required on this corridor; if he has received the business case for this bus rapid transit from the National Transport Authority; and if so, if he will publish the business case or otherwise outline the economic justification for this bus rapid transit, if it has already been determined that a rail option is required for this transport corridor. [26805/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for developing public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.

The NTA’s report “Bus Rapid Transit – Core Dublin Network” published in October 2012 identified that while BRT does not have sufficient capacity to serve the Swords/City Centre corridor over the longer term, it could provide an interim solution in the shorter term pending the development of a higher capacity rail solution, such as metro, on this corridor. Two other cross city routes - Blanchardstown to UCD and Tallaght to Clongriffin, were also identified as having potential for development as BRT routes.

Subsequent to this report the NTA were asked to oversee a technical consultancy to assess the long term transport requirements of the North Dublin /Fingal corridor.

The NTA has this week submitted their recommendations arising from the outcome of the  North Dublin Transport Study as well as a detailed business case for the Swords BRT project.

I am currently reviewing this documentation and will shortly report to Government with my recommendations.No decision has  been made with regard to any proposed BRT projects and no funding has been allocated or is currently available for their construction in the existing capital plan to 2016.