Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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19. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on all current National Development Plan 2021-2030 projects under his Department being progressed in Cork South West, including the current status of each project and the planned completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23324/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am pleased to provide an update to the Deputy on Transport projects under the current National Development Plan 2021-2030 impacting the constituency of Cork South-West, as set out below.

Greenways

West Cork Greenway

In 2022, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) provided an allocation of €100,000 to Cork County Council to examine the feasibility of a greenway that would link Cork City to West Cork. A Strategic Assessment Report was commissioned and is nearing completion. This project is at Phase 0 - Scope & Pre-Appraisal of a defined eight phase process.

TII has provided an allocation of €100,000 to Cork County Council to progress this project through concept and feasibility in 2023.

A number of towns are included in the study area including Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Schull. A number of possible routes are being examined, including the line of the former railway lines of the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway, as well as the feasibility of a greenway to incorporate the established EuroVelo 1 route between Clonakilty and Skibbereen.

Progression of this project is dependent upon more detailed feasibility studies, route options assessment, design and environmental evaluation, statutory approvals and funding availability.

South Cork Greenway

In 2022, TII provided an allocation of €100,000 to Cork County Council to examine the feasibility of a Greenway generally along the line of the former railway from Cork to Kinsale. In that regard, a Strategic Assessment Report was undertaken and is now nearing completion. This project is at Phase 0 - Scope & Pre-Appraisal of a defined eight phase process.

TII has allocated a further €100,000 to Cork County Council in 2023 with a view to progressing this project through the concept and feasibility stage.

The proposed study area extends approximately 36km in length and commences at the outskirts of Cork City and on to Kinsale via Crossbarry. An assessment of the potential to use some major rail infrastructure including the Chetwynd Viaduct and Ballinhassig Tunnel is under consideration for this greenway.

Progression of this project is dependent upon more detailed feasibility studies, route options assessment, design and environmental evaluation, statutory approvals and funding availability.

BusConnects Cork

Following an extensive public consultation process, the new BusConnects network was finalised and published by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in June of last year.

The draft network will provide an increase of over fifty percent in bus services across the city. Planning for the implementation of the new bus network has commenced and it is expected that the new network will be fully operational by the end of 2024. 

A key component of the overall BusConnects Programme for Cork is the implementation of bus priority measures, generally bus lanes, on key bus corridors serving the city. In June of last year, the NTA published detailed proposals for 12 Sustainable Transport Corridors, setting out proposals for bus and cycle infrastructure along those key corridors.  Public consultation in relation to these plans ran until early in October 2022, with close to 3,000 submissions received. The NTA reviewed and revised the scheme designs to take account of feedback received.  A further round of public consultation on the Preferred Route Options was launched on 30th March and will run until 25th May.

Following on from this, it is hoped to advance proposals for planning consent to An Bord Pleanála in about 18 to 24 months’ time.

Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility

Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan (aka “Connecting Ireland”) is a major national public transport initiative developed by the NTA, with the aim of increasing connectivity, particularly for people living outside our major cities and towns. The programme’s proposed implementation timeline spans five phases across the five years of 2022 to 2026. Connecting Ireland is managed by the NTA with funding from the Department of Transport.

Under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, the NTA plan on rolling out the following new/enhanced services in West Cork for Q2 2023:

• 232 Dursey Sound-Kilcrohane (previously 236a)
• 270 Skibbereen-Killarney
• A further six services are currently planned to be implemented in the Cork Southwest area during the lifetime of the Connecting Ireland programme, subject to the availability of funding and to more detailed planning and design work.
• The 01 – Cork to Tralee (via Killarney)
• The 02 – Cork to Skibbereen
• The 237a – Mizen Head to Castletownshend
• The 237b – Baltimore to Unionhall
• The 253 – Dunmanway to Kinsale
• The 257 – Extension of Route 257 to Kinsale
• Regional and Local Roads Development
• The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority and Exchequer funding is intended to supplement local authorities’ own resources.
• Because of the pressures on the regional and local road network, approximately 90% of available Exchequer grant assistance to local authorities for regional and local roads is being directed to maintenance and renewal works rather than for new roads or for road realignments.
• The 2023 regional and local road grants were notified to local authorities on the 14^thof February and Cork County Council has been allocated a total of €71.3 million this year. Allocations to individual Municipal Districts for the maintenance and renewal of the network is a matter for decision by each local authority.
• Any road improvement projects proposed by local authorities for consideration under the Specific or Strategic Grant Programmes are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis.  In 2023 the Department is providing funding to Cork County Council for three Specific Improvement schemes in Cork South-West, namely the R595 Old Court, Skibbereen to Baltimore, R586 Ilen Bridge and R572 Realignment at Adrigole.
• Delivery of the schemes is the responsibility of Cork County Council.
• Noting the roles of TII and the NTA in the delivery of some of the above projects under the National Development Plan 2021-2030, I have referred your correspondence to both agencies to provide any additional information they may have relating to the relevant projects.