Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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69. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether his Department and transport agencies under its aegis are not doing enough to promote the use of the European Fund for Strategic Investments in terms of identifying and carrying out background work on public infrastructure projects that may meet the criteria for project selection in terms of additionality and revenue generation and may attract private co-financing investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7744/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department hosted an Information day in June 2017 and previously in 2015 to raise awareness among project promoters about co-funding though the Connecting Europe Facility and financing options through the EIB including EFSI. The Information days were aimed at potential transport project promoters, including transport agencies under the remit of the Department, and attended by representatives from the European Commission, the EIB and INEA. 

From 2014-2017 EIB has facilitated over €628m in transport financing in Ireland. Additionally from 2013 to present some €80m has also been availed of in Connecting Europe Facility co-funding for transport related projects. The EIB figure includes a project involving a private company using €75m of EFSI funding. CEF bonds and EIB finance has also been used for road projects during this period.

The transport elements of the forthcoming National Development Plan will be formulated taking account of the fiscal space available. EU assistance options including EFSI , CEF grants and EIB financing options can be considered where appropriate in reviewing project financing by agencies under my Departments remit.