Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on developing a strategy that focuses on improvements to the road and rail networks in County Tipperary and in the larger mid-west and south-east regions; the action he plans to take to make proper use of the Limerick-Limerick Junction-Waterford and Limerick-Ballybrophy rail corridors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15471/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Each local authority is the statutory road authority for their area. The National Development Plan (NDP), as it stands, provides for a gradual increase in funding for regional and local roads and there has been a significant increase in Exchequer funding particularly in the last four years.  In this context, Tipperary County Council received a total allocation of €29.5m for 2021 which is an increase of 60% when compared to 2017.

Funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate maintenance and renewal of regional and local roads and so for this reason, the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the maintenance and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.

With regard to rail infrastructure, my Department in consultation with the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) and other relevant stakeholders, is undertaking a strategic rail review of the network on the island of Ireland.  The review will consider all issues in relation to inter-urban and inter-regional rail connectivity, including the potential for high-/higher speed(s), rail freight and improved connectivity on the Network.

With regard to rail infrastructure and services in County Tipperary, as the Deputy will be aware, Iarnród Éireann operates passenger rail services on the Limerick-Ballybrophy line.  Additionally, Thurles and Templemore are served on the Cork-Dublin intercity line.

I am advised that both the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann met with representatives of North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership (NTCRP) in recent weeks who presented the case for improved infrastructure and additional services for the Ballybrophy line.  As Minister for Transport, I also met with the NTCRP on January 29

There are no plans for the closure of any part of the rail network.  Indeed, the firm intention is to invest heavily in the quality of the network and the size of the rail fleet in order to address capacity constraints and expand services in many parts of the country.

However, the Limerick-Ballybrophy rail line is not a route that has been struggling to accommodate large passenger numbers.  Iarnród Éireann identifies Limerick-Ballybrophy as a continually low-density route in terms of passenger numbers, although the company has, over many years, operated varying levels of services during periods of both economic growth and recession.

Iarnród Éireann has also undertaken both national and local promotions on the route, but such efforts have not resulted in any significant uptake and passenger numbers have remained very low.  In this context, the NTA has no plans at present to increase services on this particular route. In light of the dramatically reduced numbers travelling on its services and to ensure service resilience during level 5 COVID-19 restrictions, Iarnród Éireann has a temporary schedule in operation across its network, which has been in operation since January 11. This includes suspension of services on the Limerick-Ballybrophy (via Nenagh) lines. This temporary schedule was approved by the NTA.  Iarnród Éireann has stated that it will continue to liaise with the NTA on appropriate services through all phases of the COVID-19 crisis, building in time to full restoration of services. Any reopening will be ‘soft’ as public transport is not being actively promoted under COVID-19 restrictions.

Iarnród Éireann has advised the Department in relation to the planned temporary closure of the Ballybrophy line that it will complete four additional miles of relaying over an eight-week period between weeks 16 and 23. Iarnród Éireann will then hand back the track for services on June 14, as opposed to the previous proposed date of July 18. The company is proposing a shorter shutdown in week 26 to relocate the turnout and traps in Roscrea and to move the signal.