John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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539. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 163 of 22 January 2025, to outline, given that Galway County Council has provided the additional updated information in relation to the planning consent application for the Galway City N6 Ring Road Project to An Bord Pleanála and given that a review of the Galway Transport Strategy launched in 2016 has never been published, when the review of the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21130/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The National Transport Authority (NTA), in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council, is developing the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS). This strategy will replace the existing Galway Transport Strategy adopted in 2016 and 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.

As part of the development of the new GMATS, mode specific analysis is being undertaken in the form of a Light Rail Feasibility Study and a Strategic Roads Feasibility Study. Both studies will form part of the analysis used to inform the development of the multi-modal GMATS, alongside recommendations for active travel, bus, rail, roads and demand management measures. The Light Rail Feasibility Study was published by the NTA on 30 October 2024 for information.

The timeline, and publication date for the GMATS is currently under review by the NTA. This is to allow for the process to take account of updated information that has recently been submitted to An Bord Pleanála by Galway County Council, on 15 April 2025, in relation to the planning consent application for the Galway City Ring Road, and any requirements emerging from the National Demand Management Strategy.

In the meantime, implementation will continue on the current Galway Transport Strategy. A significant amount of planning and design has already taken place which will enable construction activity in the coming years across active travel, bus and rail related projects including BusConnects.