Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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256. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount spent to date on BusConnects; the future budget projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37969/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, 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 BusConnects, and is developing BusConnects programmes in other cities on a non-statutory basis.

The NTA published details of costs incurred to date in relation to BusConnects Dublin earlier this year and that information is available to view through this link:

www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BusConnects-Cost-Data-2018-2020.pdf.

In relation to future budget projections, the NTA has recently submitted the Preliminary Business Case to my Department for review in line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. The Codestipulates that it must be reviewed by both my Department and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform. Following completion of these necessary steps I will then bring the matter to Government for its decision. Obviously future funding of the programme, and other similar projects/programmes, will be considered in the context of the revised allocations to be provided by the new National Development Plan.