Towards 2016 - Department of Taoiseach

Transport 21 (2006-2015)Overview of Progress in 2007• Total expenditure was €2.8 billion, an increase of 46% on the 2006 outturn. Of this,expenditure on public transport was €640.4m, up 82% on 2006.• The first of the five Major Inter-Urban routes (MIUs) was completed with the opening of thefinal section of the M1 Dublin – Border motorway, providing motorway standard road fromDublin Port to the Northern Ireland Border.• By the end of 2007, 86% of the MIU network was either open to traffic or at construction andall the projects on the network are now through the statutory approval process.• A total of 11 national road projects were completed during the year and construction startedon a further 10. Work continued on 10 projects.• The benefits of rolling stock investment were realised during the year with the introduction ofhourly return services on the Cork – Dublin route and the deployment of new intercity railcarson the Sligo line. Passenger numbers grew by 14% on the Cork service.• Work started on the upgrading of the Kildare rail line which will, when completed, permit amajor increase in services on that corridor.• Construction got underway on Phase 1 of the Western Rail Corridor and the Cork – Midletonline, important steps in promoting the balanced regional development objectives of theNational Spatial Strategy.• Additional public transport capacity was provided with the introduction into service of newbuses in Dublin and longer trams on the Tallaght Luas line.• Work started on the Cherrywood and Docklands Luas extensions.Monitoring and Evaluation in 2007Monitoring and Evaluation arrangements of Transport 21 have been put in place involving theDepartment of Transport, the implementing agencies, the Inter-Departmental Monitoring Group andthe Programme Board.Public Transport Partnership ForumThe Public Transport Partnership Forum (PTPF) met most recently on 22 November, 2007 to discussupdates on the Dublin Transportation Office Strategy for 2010 to 2030.Housing Policy FrameworkBuilding Sustainable CommunitiesSignificant resources are being made available for housing in 2008: over €1.7 billion in Exchequercapital and current finance, up 16% on the 2007 Estimate.Further progress was made on the housing reform agenda in the last quarter of 2007.The revised grant schemes for adapting private homes for people with a disability and older peoplebecame operational on 1 November, 2007.Two reports on measures to promote improvements in private rented standards, including good practiceguidelines for local authorities were published in November, 2007.Progress was made on the development of a new homeless strategy which will be published in the firstquarter of 2008.Work is well underway on the drafting of a new Housing Bill to underpin the reform process.3