Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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15. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 16 May 2024, the status of the feasibility study for light rail in Galway, which is being undertaken as part of the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28385/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Deputy will be aware that the National Transport Authority, or NTA, in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council, is currently developing the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy. The new Strategy will provide a long-term strategic planning framework for the delivery of transport and the integrated development of transport infrastructure and services in the Galway Metropolitan Area. It will replace the existing Galway Transport Strategy which was published in 2016.

As part of the development of the new Strategy, transport mode-specific analysis is being undertaken, including a light rail feasibility study, and this study is substantially complete. After the draft Strategy has been finalised, the NTA will undertake a non-statutory public consultation process which will give stakeholders the opportunity to share their views on the draft strategy. Background technical reports, including the light rail feasibility study, will be published as supporting documents with the draft Strategy.

I welcome the development of this multi-modal Transport Strategy which will guide transport investment and the delivery of transport infrastructure in the Galway Metropolitan Area over the next 20 years. It will provide the necessary evidence-based and plan-led framework that can guide investment in the city over the short, medium and longer term. This type of approach provides the type of long-term planning that is needed to ensure good transport infrastructure delivery and related integration with land-use planning.