Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether there should be an extraordinary review of Ireland’s TEN-T infrastructure; and if so, if he has made representations in this regard. [2339/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The TEN-T Regulations (EU) No 1315/2013 stipulate that a review of the TEN-T network will take place no later than the end of 2023. As I have stated previously, my Department will be making a submission to the European Commission calling for an early review of the TEN-T Network, taking into account our National Development Plan, our National Planning Framework, and the implications of Brexit.

Separately, there are nine multimodal EU Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) Core Network Corridors, which aim to streamline the coordinated development of the overall TEN-T Core Network.  Of these nine Corridors, the “North Sea Mediterranean Corridor” or “NSMED Corridor” is the only corridor that includes the UK and Ireland. This Corridor map outlines a link from Ireland to the UK, through the UK land bridge, and on to continental Europe. 

In the context of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, the European Commission has proposed an Amendment to Regulation (EU) No. 1316/2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which would realign the NSMED Core Network Corridor given that the UK will no longer form part of the Corridor or the TEN-T network.  This proposal seeks to ensure that the NSMED Corridor does not become fragmented as a result of Brexit, and will take effect only when the CEF Regulation no longer applies to the UK.

Ireland welcomes the Commission’s proposal to revise the current alignment of the NSMED Corridor with linkages between Ireland (Cork and Dublin) and the ports of Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and Antwerp. Ireland also echoed calls from France for further TEN-T links to French ports and Ireland has also made clear to the European Commission that it would support any further proposals from the Commission or other Member States to facilitate enhanced maritime connections between Member States that will mitigate the impact of the UK departure.

A proposal for a new Regulation for CEF - the funding mechanism for TEN-T from 2021 - is also currently under consideration.  In the latest draft, the Commission has accepted Ireland's proposal, made jointly with Malta and Cyprus, that funding be provided for infrastructure on the Comprehensive Network in Member States where there is no land border with another EU Member State. If this is maintained as part of the final agreed Regulation, it will mean that organisations will continue to  be eligible to apply for funding for projects coming within the application criteria after 2020.       

My Department continues to liaise with the European Commission in relation to the TEN-T network in the context of Brexit, including in relation to the EU’s proposal outlined above, and my Department has raised Ireland’s concerns about the implications for connectivity and trade in light of the UK's decision to leave the EU.