Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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81. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the potential impact on the future of metro north of forced dezoning of residential lands in north County Dublin, in line with the new draft national planning framework; if he has discussed this matter with Transport Infrastructure Ireland; and his further views on the future of metro north. [49345/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The draft National Planning Framework (NPF) - which is expected to be finalised and agreed by Government shortly - recognises the statutory arrangements for transport planning in the Greater Dublin Area under the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the transport planning policy set out in the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) 2016-2035. Indeed, the draft NPF includes a National Strategic Outcome to "Deliver the key public transport objectives of the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 by investing in projects such as New Metro North, DART Expansion Programme, BusConnects in Dublin and key bus based projects in the other cities and towns".

Following consideration of the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study and the recommendations of the NTA arising from this study, the Government decided in 2015 that a light-rail link is the optimum long term public transport solution on the Airport/Swords corridor. In addition, the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to proceed with the metro scheme. Funding of over €700 million has been allocated under the Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 for for planning and design work with construction expected to commence in 2021 with a view to delivering the project by 2026/2027 within the 10 Year National Investment Plan that will be pubished shortly.

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 design and planning work being undertaken at present on the new Metro North project, will continue to use the most up-to-date information available on population and employment projections to ensure that the final design and service pattern is correctly calibrated to fully meet the transport needs of the corridor, to ensure that due consideration is given to Fingal County Council development objectives while noting that zoning decisions are a matter for council members. 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.

My Department will continue to engage with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the NTA to ensure alignment between the National Planning Framework and the Transport Strategy for the GDA.