Transport 21 to get extra cash, says Cullen
Expenditure on transport will increase to €2.2 billion next year before the revised estimates are due to be published after the budget on December 7.
“Today’s estimate gives just the first taste of what is to come in Transport 21 over the years ahead. The plan in full will reshape Irish transport infrastructure for the decades to come,” said Mr Cullen.
However, the minister said the real impact of the Government’s €34bn transport initiative over the next decade would only be seen in 2007 when there would be a noticeable “step up” in capital spending.
Mr Cullen announced construction work would begin next year on several major public transport projects, including the Luas extension to Cherrywood, a new docklands railway station in Dublin and improvements on commuter services in Cork and Kildare.
Preliminary planning and design work will also start on other rail projects, including the Metro and other Luas extensions as well as the re-opening of the Dublin-Dunboyne and Ennis-Athenry lines.
Despite criticism, the minister defended the absence of specific costings for these projects on the basis that most of them have still to be put out to public tender.
“I’m not going to indicate to the market what I think should or should not be the price,” said Mr Cullen.
While he signalled that funding would also be provided for additional buses for Dublin Bus, Mr Cullen said it would be contingent on the company presenting a business plan.
He criticised Dublin Bus for failing to carry out a detailed review of the bus network in the capital for over a decade.
“I don’t think that’s acceptable in terms of forward planning,” remarked Mr Cullen.
A budget of €1.3bn for the national roads programme would result in the completion of 14 major road projects and work on another 24 projects, said the minister.
Roads due to open in 2006 include the Dublin Port Tunnel and the upgraded Naas road, as well as by-passes of Ashbourne, Cavan, Mullingar, Bundoran/Ballyshannon and Monaghan.
However, Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell branded Transport 21 as “a political fraud” as projected Exchequer spending on capital projects next year is almost the same as this year, at an amount of €1.755bn.
“There are inexplicable and irreconcilable differences between the promises contained in Transport 21 and the Government’s actual spending plans for 2006,” said Ms Mitchell.
Labour transport spokeswoman Roisín Shortall said the small overall increase in spending actually represented a decrease in real terms after inflation.
Ms Shortall said an underspending on the 2005 estimates highlighted how Mr Cullen was unable to deliver important projects like integrated ticketing or extra buses.
Meanwhile, Mr Cullen confirmed that his department will take over responsibility for the commercial ports, State harbours and the Irish coast guard from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on January 1 next.
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