Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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165. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he and-or the National Transport Authority have taken and-or will take into consideration the latest census population data in the context of the provision of public transport and the capacity of same; and if current public transport strategies will be amended to take account of new population data from the Central Statistics Office. [2595/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Deputy is right to highlight the importance of data in planning for public transport infrastructure and services. The Metropolitan Area Transport Strategies for the five cities are developed over a twenty- year horizon and reviewed every six years. These strategies use a range of statistical data to inform their analysis, including –

- National Planning Framework’s future population forecasts;

- CSO’s Census of Population;

- CSO’s National Household Travel Survey;

- NTA’s Annual Bus and Rail Statistics;

- Annual Local Authority Traffic Counts; and

- Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s National Roads Network Indicators.

Although the metropolitan area transport strategies are informed by the Census, as forward-looking documents, they are also based on forecasts for future population set down in the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. In developing and reviewing each transport strategy, the National Transport Authority undertakes a comprehensive analysis of changes to population projections, development density, employment forecasts and future travel demand patterns. This analysis is used to assess the public transport needs for each city and the role all modes of transport, can play in meeting those needs.

The NTA will continue to utilise Census information, and, as appropriate will incorporate the new Census data into the development of, and reviews of the metropolitan area transport strategies.