Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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100. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which planners for BusConnects have engaged and held consultations with affected residents along initial routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6255/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the development of BusConnects.

As the Deputy is aware, extensive public consultations are taking place with regard to the project.

In relation to proposals to develop new bus lanes as part of the BusConnects programme, any property owner whose property is impacted by the development of the new bus lanes is offered a one-to-one meeting by the NTA and I would encourage any such property owner to meet with the NTA to discuss the proposals and their implications. In addition to that personalised consultation with individual property owners, the NTA also publishes detailed booklets in relation to each proposed "corridor", establishes a community forum for each corridor and holds public information events in relation to the various corridors. The Deputy will, I am sure, acknowledge the extensive scope of this non-statutory consultation process.

I believe the consultation processes I have referred to above demonstrate the extensive engagement that has taken place and will continue to take place with communities. I would encourage as many people as possible to engage with these processes on this potentially transformative public transport initiative.