The national investment framework for transport in Ireland is our assessment of transport infrastructure and it is based on a hierarchy of supporting active travel first and trying to reuse existing assets second before getting down to new assets. This rail line is new in that it is laying new track and we do not have an existing line. We cannot use the other lines into Navan with circuitous routes via Louth so it is a significant investment. This would not be a cheap project. Like a lot of transport projects, we a…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 71 together. As the Deputy knows, the NDP is under review and discussions are ongoing in respect of finalising the review and agreeing a new NDP. It is important to say at the outset that my approach to this review has been based around the sort of outcomes I want to see this NDP deliver. I would like it to set the groundwork for a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland, as committed to in the programme for Government. We want to see the NDP support the inves…

I am sure the Deputy would agree that the first priority is twin tracking from Athenry to Galway because it would give all sorts of potential for increasing transport-led development and development in Oranmore and new areas in Galway. Down the line, when the western rail corridor is reopened, it would give greater possibilities to run services but first things first. The first project will be twin tracking from Athenry to Galway to serve Ceannt Station and other stations on the route. Wider use of the western rail…

If we think of the scale of what we are spending, this is the challenge we have.

It is existing infrastructure that would require a fair bit of upgrade. We would have to cross the N17 again. It is an existing line but we all know from looking at the line in close detail that it would require a fair amount of investment to bring it back to good quality status. I keep coming back to the fact that I do not think we can look at this on its own. We also have to reintroduce the rail line to Foynes at the same time, as we see the western rail corridor having access to a deep sea port, with rail freigh…

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and securing Exchequer funding for the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the nat…

The existing NDP has approximately 45 different road projects. A project being in the NDP does not necessarily mean it is guaranteed to go to construction. Similarly, just because a project is not in the NDP does not mean that it will not happen. There is also flexibility within local authorities. For example, the proposed Castlemartyr bypass we are examining at present is very much led by the council, which is appropriate. The same could apply to Killeagh. Given that there will be such financing constraint and tha…

We all know there is an issue with that bridge. I understand that, first and foremost, the council is going to look at what the options are there. It is a historical bridge so we must be sensitive and examine various options. We must recognise, however, that in the context of the European recovery and resilience fund, from which we are getting a total of €1 billion, we earmarked €185 million for upgrading the Cork metropolitan rail services line. The first section is primarily working between Midleton and Kent Stat…

During the pandemic, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has delivered 52,569 driving tests, with no case of Covid-19 transmission attributed to a driving test. In line with the gradual reopening of services, driving tests for non-essential workers for those eligible to take the test and who have been waiting longest have recommenced to a limit of 2,000 per month. This relatively small number is a prudent step as we see what the health impact might be. I understand that, to date, the RSA has offered test bookings to ov…

This is critical for younger people waiting for both the theory test and the driving test. On the theory test, I am glad that we have been able to reopen the test centres. They will be permitted to conduct 25,000 driver theory tests this month. We have also opened the new online theory test service and we expect 4,000 of those to be carried out in June and a further 6,000 to be carried out in July. There is also increased expansion in our capacity. Originally, before Covid, the capacity or typical level of testing …

Were the Deputy to send me a letter to that effect, I certainly would follow up. I will say a "Thank you" as well. Various people have kept working. While everyone has kept working in their own way through this pandemic, the staff in driving testing were able to do those 52,569 driving tests for essential purposes. That was an important part of keeping the country and the economy going, and I thank them. There are very significant additional resources being put in. Many of the new people are being trained by those …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 17 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport or in decisions on fares. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority in December 2009, the NTA has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation, PSO, contracts. The C…

I am told, as I said, that it is not intended to offer an extension. However, there is a refund capability. Many people have opted for that but others have not. The Deputy's constituent might be informed of that as one option. The proposal implied in the Deputy's question about having new more flexible TaxSaver supports is a good one. Post pandemic, we will likely be in a situation where people are commuting in different ways in hybrid schemes where people are not all commuting five days a week where the real benef…

We are considering a range of extensions to PSO supports for commercial and public bus operators. We have maintained services throughout the pandemic even though the numbers have been low. We expect a return to 100% carrying capacity on all public transport from 2 August, so there will not be restrictions, per se , on travel. However, it is not certain that the numbers will start to return. There will be nothing stopping anyone from using his or her TaxSaver ticket to avail of a full public transport service five d…

The capital budget for my Department for 2021 is more than €2.5 billion. My Department reports monthly to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on expenditure versus budget profile. In addition, I am also providing a quarterly report to the Government in respect of progress on the investment of capital. Regarding the capital position at the end of quarter 1, expenditure in aviation was broadly on profile and expenditure in the maritime sector was slightly behind profile for the year to date. Regarding the…

Those non-county roads are in private ownership.

I am sorry, but I am uncertain as to the definitions the Deputy is using. Funding is always being sought for various categories of road, but the priority is the public road network. There has been significant investment in local roads across the country and there has been no delay in the spending allocated. However, there has been a certain underspend because of Covid. Certain non-essential works were not continued during the first four or five months of the pandemic. There was a natural holding back. My expectatio…

The carry-over from last year was €110 million, of which €41 million is still due to be spent. When I describe a road as a private road, I do not deny that there is a public right of way or that such a road is important. As the Deputy said, though, there is a considerable requirement within the council's own works to maintain and upgrade the public road network. The allocation to counties in that regard is done on a fair per kilometre basis. Emergency situations are also provided for. I recently signed off on a sig…

To reassure the Deputies, the profile of regional and local road grants for the year to date was for us to have spent €39 million. Despite the pandemic and the differences, the actual spending for the year to date is €36.39 million. Most of the works do not start until spring, namely, in April or May. We do not typically do those works between January and March. Thus the real expenditure is due to occur in the summer months and my expectation is we will be back on profile if not ahead of it, so there is no shortage…

I thank the Deputy for his question. I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 64, 98 and 197 together. I take this opportunity to set out the broad framework of horizontal support measures the Government has made available to the taxi industry in response to this pandemic. The industry has been badly affected by Covid-19. Passenger demand for services has dropped and many small public service vehicle, SPSV, operators simply have not worked since the start of the pandemic. I understand as many as 70% of SPSV drivers hav…