Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he plans to meet or exceed expectations in the extension of commuter and inter-city rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8001/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, the NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 which provides a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA over the next two decades, proposes implementation of the DART Expansion Programme. 

In line with the Government’s budgetary framework set out in Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 published in September 2015, the Government's Budget 2018 provides for an increase in the multi-annual capital investment for public transport with a four-year capital envelope of €2.7 billion over the period 2018-2021. 

This includes funding in the region of €230 million for mainline rail and DART capacity enhancement.  This will enable commencement of the initial stages of the DART Expansion programme, focussing on additional fleet and extending the electrified DART system.  It will also allow further progress to be made on the electrification of both the Northern rail line to Balbriggan and the Maynooth line.  

My priority over the next few years is to rapidly increase investment in public transport while also increasing public transport services for the GDA and around the country.  Following Government’s commitment to public transport in Budget 2018 and the 4 Year Capital Plan to 2021, and in the context of the forthcoming 10 year National Development Plan being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, we are gearing up for a huge acceleration in the total level of investment and in the number of projects which we can progress.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he foresees, in the context of the national development plan, a new role for rail transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8002/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Government’s ten-year National Development Plan will be published shortly along with the National Planning Framework.  The National Development Plan will prioritise key investment actions that protect the quality and value of the existing extensive public transport networks.  It will also progress new key capital public transport programmes over the period to 2027 to address urban congestion and emerging capacity constraints in our main cities.  Investment in any new public transport programmes under the National Development Plan will be subject to the relevant appraisal processes and value for money tests as required under the Public Spending Code.

The role and potential of rail is intrinsically linked to where people live, work and wish to travel and these very issues form the core of the Government’s new National Planning Framework over the period to 2040. The National Planning Framework will form an important context for consideration of issues raised by the Rail Review Report which was undertaken jointly by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann and published in late 2016.  As the Deputy is aware, the NTA held a public consultation on the published Review which helped to begin an informed discussion about the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process. The NTA has prepared a report of those submissions, which it is currently updating to reflect the additional funding which has been made available for rail infrastructure and services in Budget 2018. Once I have received and reviewed the NTA’s updated report on the Rail Review consultation, it is my intention to bring it to Government for consideration.