Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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821. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps under Project Ireland 2040 being taken by Transport Infrastructure Ireland in 2018 and 2019 to deliver metro north and other crucial fixed metro and Luas systems in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30854/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, the National Development Plan (NDP), launched earlier this year by the Government as part of Project Ireland 2040, includes a clear commitment to develop MetroLink with €3 billion budgeted for its delivery (subject to tender processes). MetroLink will provide Dublin with a high capacity, high frequency cross-city rail corridor, serving critical destinations such as Swords, Dublin Airport, Dublin City University, Ballymun, the Mater Hospital, City Centre and existing destinations along the Luas Green Line to Sandyford.  It will provide faster reliable journey times to and from these key destinations while offering interchange with other rail, DART Expansion, light rail and bus services.  MetroLink will comprise of a total of 25 stations (including 15 new stations), 3,000 additional Park and Ride spaces, and a journey time of approximately 50 minutes from Swords to Sandyford.

The National Transport Authority (NTA), in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) recently launched a public consultation process on the Emerging Preferred Route (EPR) for the MetroLink. 

Currently TII and NTA are assessing the submissions received (c. 8,000). Once the assessment process is completed, TII and NTA plan to publish a consultation report and a preferred route option in the coming weeks. This preferred route option will be subject to a further stage of public consultation over the period mid-to-end August & September with a view to finalising the details of the MetroLink route by year-end.

Building on the success of Government’s continued investment in building capacity and expanding the Luas network, the NDP will also provide funding to undertake appraisal, planning and design of Luas network expansion to Finglas, Bray, Lucan and Poolbeg. This is to ensure that we will be ready to expand Luas to where and when it is needed in line with sustained development in these areas.

The NTA has worked in partnership with a number of local authorities in Ireland’s cities to prepare transport-related strategies or implement transport related projects. An example of this is the Galway Transport Strategy which was developed in 2016 by Galway City Council and Galway County Council in partnership with the NTA. The strategy concluded that bus-based public transport represents the most appropriate system for Galway.

A Cork Transport Strategy is also being finalised by the relevant Local Authorities in partnership with the NTA which includes proposals for a revised bus system for Cork and enhancements to the commuter rail service in Cork including additional stations and rail fleet. This transport strategy will also evaluate the potential of a Bus Rapid Transit or Light Rail corridor to serve the increased population growth as envisaged by the National Planning Framework.