Status of Transport 21 projects and conclusion date

Date: 05 November 2009


Dáil Question Nos: 7, 23 & 42 To ask the Minister for Transport if he will publish a full report on every Transport 21 project including each current estimated commencement date, date of conclusion, the estimated cost of each project and the likely outcomes down to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Willie Penrose. (Nominated by: Thomas P. Broughan). To ask the Minister for Transport his views on whether all aspects of the Transport 21 plan will be completed by the 2015 deadline; his further views on capital transport investment projects as a means to restore lost economic competitiveness and provide much needed short term employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Joe Carey. (Nominated by: Fergus O'Dowd). *To ask the Minister for Transport the degree to which the objectives set out in Transport 21 have so far been achieved; the full extent of changes made to the original proposals; the extent to which these targets have been affected by the Revised Programme for Government, the economic situation or other factors such as the proposed carbon tax; the extent to which calculation in respect of costs and completion dates have been revised arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Bernard J. Durkan.

Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Noel Dempsey TD)

REPLY

I propose to take Questions 7, 23 and 42 together.

Information on the completion dates, projected outcomes and costs of major Transport 21 projects that have been completed or are at an advanced stage of construction is contained on my Department's Transport 21 website.

This is the fourth year of Transport 21 and significant progress has been made. To date, over 66% of the major inter urban roads programme, linking Dublin with Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and the Border with Northern Ireland, has been completed and the remainder is under construction and on target for completion in 2010. The upgrade of the M50 motorway is also on target for completion in 2010. The Waterford City Bypass and the Tullamore Bypass were opened recently.

On public transport, Irish Rail has completely modernised its intercity rolling stock. I opened the Cork commuter rail line from Glounthaune to Midleton earlier this year and both Phase 1 of the Western Rail Corridor and the Luas line to Docklands are scheduled to be completed by year end. Construction continues on other projects such as the Luas lines to Cherrywood and Citywest, the first phase of the Navan rail line between Clonsilla and Pace and the Kildare rail project.
The start and completion dates for Transport 21 projects that have not yet commenced will be subject to the relevant statutory and the procurement and contract award processes and will also be determined by the funding allocation available during the current difficult economic climate. I do not propose to release the cost of these projects until the relevant procurement processes have been completed and all contracts have been awarded.

It is unlikely that all of the projects originally identified in Transport 21 will be completed by 2015. However, no projects have been cancelled and Transport 21 continues to provide the strategic framework for capital spending on transport infrastructure into the future.

The priorities for investment are set out in the Renewed Programme for Government.