Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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16. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of funding he requested in budget 2018 to move the metro north project forward; his views on the project; the progress to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42161/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the new Metro North project.  Together with a number of other large scale projects included in the NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035, the new Metro North project will significantly improve capacity in the public transport network in the GDA. 

Funding of over €700 million has been allocated under the Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 for planning, design and to begin construction of new Metro North.  Funding in the initial years of the Capital Plan is for planning and design work with construction expected to commence in 2021 with a view to delivering the project by 2026/2027.  I am advised by the NTA that there is very little scope to accelerate the project to any significant extent in view of the large volume of work that must be done in terms of planning etc and the timeframes required for consultation before construction can commence.

As I have previously advised the Deputy, the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have commenced preparatory work on the planning and design of new Metro North and a dedicated project Steering Group has been established which is meeting on a regular basis.  The NTA, in collaboration with TII, is undertaking an option analysis and selection study of possible metro alignments and station locations.  Arising from this work a final route and station configuration will be established.   It is my understanding that the NTA and TII expect that this process will be complete by the end of 2017, after which a public consultation process will be undertaken in 2018.