Budget 2023 continues to keep costs down for commuters and ensures that transport developments can continue at pace
- Foilsithe: 27 Meán Fómhair 2022
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 3 Deireadh Fómhair 2022
- €3.5 billion total budget allocation
- €1.9 billion for greener, cleaner transport
- retention of 20% discount on public transport fares
- continuation of the Young Adult Card including the expansion to 16, 17 and 18 year olds in third level education
- transformational projects like Metrolink and DART+ can progress at pace
- €35.6 million for Regional Airports
Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, and Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton, have welcomed the overall allocation of €3.51 billion next year for the Department of Transport.
This year’s budget ensures that public transport across the country will remain cheaper for commuters and particularly younger people throughout the year.
It also provides for continued enhancements to the public transport network with the roll-out of new services through BusConnects and Connecting Ireland over the coming year, including the purchase of 41 new railcars and over 120 new buses. It also ensures that the ambitious walking and cycling programme already underway can forge ahead, so that more towns and villages are better connected, with safer and more accessible routes for everyone - from school children to older citizens.
The substantial investment in Transport this year means that the ambitious EV charging programme can be ramped up and major infrastructural projects such as Metrolink, DART+, BusConnects and the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme will continue to progress. The budget overall means that people can look forward to more accessible, greener transport across the country and will help ensure that we move closer to meeting our emissions targets.
What Budget 2023 will make possible
Cheaper fares
- retention of the 20% average fare discount on public transport fares throughout 2023
- continuation of the Young Adult Card including the expansion to 16, 17 and 18 year olds in third level education, so that they can also avail of half-price public transport fares
Public transport
New fleet
- 41 new intercity railcars boosting peak capacity across intercity services nationally by 34%
- 91 new double deck and 30 single deck electric vehicles for PSO fleets across the country
Rail enhancement
- construction to start on the new DART station at Woodbrook on the Southeastern line
- continue to protect and renew the heavy rail network in a ‘steady state’ condition and enhance journey safety, comfort and reliability for passengers
- continued fit-out of the National Train Control Centre and re-commissioning works at Kishogue station
- MetroLink will progress to phase 4 Statutory Process with Client Partner
Dublin
- expanded and enhanced bus services through BusConnects including the roll out of the BusConnects Network Redesign in Dublin
- Next Generation Ticketing under the BusConnects programme will progress to contract award stage
- final planning applications to go An Bord Pleanála for the Dublin BusConnects Core Bus Corridors and construction procurement for 4 corridors will get underway
- construction work on the Clongriffin corridor will start by late 2023
Regional development
- continued roll out of new and enhanced bus routes through Bus Connects and Connecting Ireland
- construction of Phase 1 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme. A Railway Order will be sought for double tracking of the line between Midleton and Glounthaune
- finalise the Emerging Preferred Route for the Cork Light Rail Transit and carry out a first round of public consultation on the proposals
- planning and design will progress on the preferred routes for the Sustainable Transport Corridors for BusConnects Cork, with a second round of public consultation
- redevelopment of Ceannt and Oranmore stations in Galway will continue
- the North Quays Redevelopment project in Waterford will start construction in 2023, with the Department of Transport supporting the construction of a new pedestrian bridge across the River Suir
Walking and cycling
- nearly €1 million per day will be invested in walking and cycling projects with a government commitment of €360 million per year in active travel nationwide including €60 million for greenways
Electric Vehicles Charging Roll-out
- continued funding to support the transition to electric vehicles including €110 million for EV grants and charging infrastructure, which includes €8 million in shared Island funding
Supporting our Regional Airports
- 2023 spending will also include almost €36 million in funding for our regional airports and the PSO air service between Donegal and Dublin
Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, said:
“Retaining the 20% discount on public transport fares was a key priority for me because it provides immediate and everyday savings to hard pressed commuters and citizens. The expansion of the Youth Leap Card also means that public transport will now be cheaper for more young people.
"We made big strides in 2022, with BusConnects, DART+ and Metrolink all entering the planning system and I am confident that these projects will continue to progress at pace through next year. I am particularly pleased that procurement is expected to commence for four key BusConnects Dublin core bus corridors, with the first corridor, Clongriffin to Fairview, earmarked to enter construction before the end of 2023. I am also pleased to see progress on the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, BusConnects Cork and redevelopment works at Ceannt and Oranmore Stations in Galway.
"Throughout 2023, I will be working hard to ensure that we expand the coverage and frequency of our public transport network, during the day and also at night, with a particular focus on greatly improving our rural transport connectivity. I have already been in touch with all local authorities across the country to ask them to identify their Pathfinder projects in public transport and active travel. The Budget allocated for 2023 means that these programmes can be delivered at speed.
"Transport is key to Ireland’s future development and sustainability, both to ensure that we can get around easily, cost effectively and safely, but also to ensure that we meet our emissions targets by 2030 and beyond. Overall, I am delighted that Budget 23 maintains the Programme for Government commitment to deliver a 2:1 ratio of expenditure between new public transport infrastructure and new roads.”
Minister Naughton commented:
“The Regional Airports funding of almost €36 million demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting connectivity to the regions and enhancing balanced regional development as we continue to adapt to the world after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regional Airports Programme will support Shannon, Ireland West, Donegal, and Kerry airports and the PSO service between Donegal and Dublin. Included, and in recognition of the important role of Cork Airport to the economy of the south region and nationally, capital funding of €6 million will be provided to Cork Airport in 2023.
"We will earmark almost €1 billion in protection and renewal of the road network and an additional €400 million in the construction of national and regional and local roads.
"Investing in and protecting our children’s daily journeys and encouraging the take up of walking, cycling and scooting to school is a project I am committed to delivering. I am delighted to confirm that the Safe Routes to School programme will continue to be funded into 2023. This forms part of this government’s commitment to active travel and in 2023 we will continue to invest almost €1 million per day in walking and cycling projects across the country.
"I am particularly pleased to have secured funding for research into how to encourage more women, particularly girls and adolescents, to choose cycling as a mode of regular transport, so that we can instil long-term habits that will benefit not just our environment but also the health and wellbeing of the women of tomorrow.
"The haulage and logistics sector is one which has ensured that our supermarket shelves remained stocked, and our pharmacies were equipped with medicines and other key products continued to be available for families, communities and businesses across the country. They did so flawlessly as Ireland navigated the turbulent waters of Brexit and COVID-19. Earlier this year, Government put in place a significant support package for the haulage sector to help meet the increased costs of doing business and I hope to be in a position to announce further supports for our hauliers in the coming weeks.“
Notes
Sustainable mobility
€1.9 billion for sustainable mobility, including active travel and greenways, public transport and carbon reduction programmes.
Young Adult Travel Card - Budget 2023 will provide for a new ‘Youth Travel Card’, offering a 50% discount on fares across the transport network next year. The ‘Youth Travel Card’ will allow any person who is aged between 19 and 23 years old to avail of an entitlement for discounted travel costs and will increase the level of discount over and above the current student discount to an average discount of 50% across all services, including city, intercity and rural services.
Walking and Cycling, including Greenways
€360 million investment in nationwide walking and cycling infrastructure, including funding for greenways (€60 million) and the roll out of the Safe Routes to School Programme.
Key Cycling, Walking and Greenway infrastructure projects in 2023:
- Clontarf to City Centre Project – Flagship urban mobility project that will provide full segregation of footpaths, cycle lanes, public transport (Bus and Taxi) lanes, private traffic lanes and full urban re-landscaping from Fairview to Amiens Street
- Martin Junction - Conversion from Roundabout to Signalised Active Travel Junction
- New Salmon Weir Bridge, Galway City Centre
- Knapp Square Cycle/Pedestrian UpgradeM40 New Cycle/Pedestrian Overbridge (Tramore Valley Park)
- Royal Canal Greenway – Maynooth to Confey
- construction continuing on eight Greenways around the country, including Midleton to Youghal, Waterford to New Ross, Tralee to Fenit and Listowel to Limerick Boundary, sections of the Grand Canal in Offaly and Kildare, the Clew Bay Greenway in Mayo and the Connemara Greenway from Clifden to Recess
- construction of the Greenway Bridge in Athlone, a key part of the Coast to Coast Galway to Dublin Greenway
- continued pre-construction design and planning work on 26 further Greenways around the country and additional works on the Limerick Greenway
Key public transport projects in 2023 include:
- 101 fully-electric buses for urban PSO bus fleets
- 20 fully electric single deck buses for regional and commuter PSO fleets
- 41 new intercity railcars entering service across the national rail network
- commencement of procurement for DART+ West and DART+ South West
- commencement of construction of 95 new battery-electric and electric multiple units as part of DART+ fleet
- lodgement of all planning applications for BusConnects Dublin core bus corridors with An Bord Pleanála
- beginning of construction of the Clongriffin to City Centre core bus corridors
- progression of procurement activities and appointment of client partner for MetroLink
- public consultation and development of preferred routes for core bus corridors as part of BusConnects Cork
- continued fitout and programme of enabling works at the new National Train Control Centre
- appointment of contractors to deliver key elements of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme
- continued appraisal, planning and design of Cork Light Rail and Luas Finglas
- a retrofit programme to ensure older public transport infrastructure is more accessible for people with disabilities
An allocation of €563.5 million will be made to Public Service Obligation (PSO) and Local Link services provided by State operators and under contract by the National Transport Authority. This includes approx. €185 million funding in 2023 to support the 20% average fare discount, and residual pressures arising from suppressed passenger demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carbon reduction programmes
€110 million is being provided towards making the switch to electric vehicles. Specifically grant support is being provided for the:
- continuation of the purchase grant scheme for electric passenger cars, with a gradual reduction in the grant from July 2023
- continuation and expansion of the home charging infrastructure scheme to include multi-unit dwellings
- continuation of a grant scheme for taxi and hackney drivers with a gradual reduction in the grant from July 2023
- continuation of an alternatively fuelled heavy goods vehicles purchase grant scheme
- continuation of the Low Emission Vehicle Toll Incentive Scheme
- reviewing the scheme for public point charging
- delivering a new Shared Island Scheme for destination charging at sports clubs
- funding research to support the further decarbonisation of transport in Ireland
Roads
- approximately €1.375 billion is being provided for national, regional and local roads
National Roads Programme
Circa €730 million of Exchequer capital and current funds will be allocated to national roads in 2023, including for the protection and renewal of existing roads, PPPs and the development of new projects.
The following new national road projects will be under construction next year, thereby progressing key objectives under revised new NDP:
- M50 Traffic Control and Management, including Variable Speed Limits, expected to be complete by early 2023
- N56 Dungloe to Glenties: a 27km road realignment and single carriageway construction over 5 phases (3 are already complete), with a dedicated cycle track alongside, expected to be complete in 2023
- N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom bypass project: a 22km dual carriageway expected to be complete in early 2024
- M8/N40 Dunkettle Interchange upgrade to a free flow junction at the N8/N25/N40 expected to be complete in 2024
- N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge road project: a 33km single carriageway being re-tendered with a view to proceeding in 2023
- N59 Moycullen Bypass: 4.3km expected to be complete in late 2023
- N69 Listowel Bypass: 5.9km expected to be complete by 2024
In addition funding will be provided for projects that are at earlier stages in the development pipeline.
Regional and Local Roads Programme
€614 million is being provided in capital and current investment for regional and local roads.
Under this programme, the 2023 allocation will allow the department to provide grant support to local authorities for a range of targeted programmes, including funding for:
- road pavement resealing and strengthening works across the network
- bridge rehabilitation projects
- climate adaptation and safety measures
- drainage works
- community involvement schemes on less trafficked roads
Implementation will also continue, subject to the required approvals, on strategic improvement schemes provided for in the NDP, including the following projects which are at construction stage:
- Athy Southern Distributor Road
- Shannon Crossing/Killaloe Bypass/R494 upgrade scheme
- Tralee Northern Relief Road
- Coonagh to Knockalisheen Distributor Road
Aviation
In recognition of the importance of our regional airports to supporting connectivity to the regions and enhancing balanced regional development, Government has sustained the substantial high level supports to regional airports since the onset of COVID-19 and throughout the recovery of the aviation sector experienced this year with a total package of almost €36 million announced today.
- funding of €30 million will be provided in 2023 to support regional airports through the Regional Airports Programme (RAP) 2021-2025. This Programme will deliver €16 million in current and €14 million in capital funding which will support regional airports of Shannon, Ireland West, Donegal, and Kerry
- the RAP provides targeted funding through a number of capital and operational grant schemes for safety and security related projects and activities. This investment in our regional airports will ensure airport compliance with EU safety and security related obligations
- in addition, and as was the case in the previous two years, funding will also support projects which have a sustainability focus, facilitating the sustainable growth of the sector
- this Programme also funds Exchequer funded Public Service Obligation air services between Donegal and Dublin
- in addition, and in recognition of the important role of Cork Airport to the economy of the south region and nationally, capital funding of €6 million will be provided to Cork Airport in 2023 . This funding will support the commencement of a significant security screening project at Cork Airport next year. This funding is consistent with the Programme for Government action to deliver capital programmes required to support services and ensure safety at our state and regional airports
Maritime Transport and Safety
€109 million will be allocated in 2023 to maritime transport and safety as well as ongoing support to the Irish Coast Guard. In respect of the latter, funding will provide enhanced building and IT programmes as well as investment in the SAR service including training and equipment. In terms of maritime safety, it will provide support for Irish Lights, navigation aids and safety equipment as well as commencement of a Marine Accident Investigation Unit