Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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265. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on his Department's strategy statement and its commitments on delivering key infrastructure including transport. [6002/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department’s Statement of Strategy states that the Department’s mission is to shape the safe and sustainable development of transport, tourism and sport, to support economic growth and social progress.

As the Deputy is aware, the Statement details the Department’s high-level goals and objectives over a 3 year period from its publication in December 2016 out to 2019 and therefore progress on implementing its overarching ambition is obviously ongoing.

In relation to the development of key transport infrastructure, progress has been made in ensuring increased Budgetary allocations during the mid-term review of the current Capital Plan and my Department has been actively involved in working closely with other Departments during the development of the National Planning Framework and its associated investment plan.

In 2018 we will see significant progress in relation to the planning required to underpin delivery of significant roads and public transport programmes and I expect to publish a new National Sports Policy and also a Greenways Strategy.

Obviously delivery of key infrastructure projects is by necessity one that requires a longer term horizon than that afforded by the 3-year period of the Statement of Strategy; however, implementation of its actions and achievement of its goals by end-2019 will provide the required platform upon which to build successful delivery of the various infrastructure projects envisaged in the current Capital Plan and the forthcoming 10-year capital plan.