Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

62. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding approved under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund for the upgrade of the railway line from Athenry to Galway; the purposes for which this funding was approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15270/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), €9,281,250 has been provisionally allocatedfor Galway County Council’s successful Call 2 project - Oranmore Railway Station.

This project involves three distinct but related projects to promote sustainable growth around Oranmore Train Station. The projects will maximise the benefit of the rail infrastructure in particular and facilitate the future expansion of Oranmore as a compact development with high quality public transport as part of the emerging urban framework plan.

The project consists of three sub-projects:

- Railway Infrastructure Upgrades - to include a 1km passing railway loop at existing Oranmore Train Station; including additional platform and associated infrastructure.

- Detailed design of the local centre and associated car park structure and Landscaping Plan for the lands south of the train station to ensure the appropriate integration of the infrastructural works within the existing landscape, and in a manner that will also be integrated with the future built development and amenities.

- A Study on the Design Development of Typologies to implement the Urban Framework Plan.

While my Department works closely with the successful applicants in respect of project funding, responsibility for the advancement of URDF supported projects through the various stages of planning, development and completion is, in the first instance, a matter for the Sponsoring Agency, in this case Galway County Council.

In this regard, it should be noted that all URDF supported projects must be carefully developed and managed by the Sponsoring Agency in accordance with the normal conditions and arrangements that apply to public sector managed projects including, exercising appropriate cost control and delivering projects as approved, and in full compliance with the Public Spending Code.