Minister: ‘Cork Luas will get additional funding’

FINANCE Minister Michael McGrath has said the Government is committed to providing additional funding to the proposed Cork Luas project to progress it beyond the current stage.

The minister’s comments come after it was revealed last week that the National Transport Authority (NTA) is currently only funded to bring the project to emerging preferred route stage.

Asked by The Echo if the Government is committed to allocating additional funding to progress the Cork Luas to planning and construction, Mr McGrath said it is.

“We have a very large capital envelope for the Department of Transport out to 2030 and, as the need arises and as projects progress to the different stages, additional funding will be provided to enable them to move forward.

“This is an important project for Cork, it’s one we are committed to and the Government will provide the necessary funding to enable the project to proceed,” he said.

“I know that the NTA, working with the council [Cork City Council], are continuing to develop that project and when they need additional funding to take it beyond the forthcoming step, then the Government will be supportive of that.” 

Speaking at Cork Chamber’s latest Business Breakfast event last week, the CEO of the NTA Anne Graham said that Transport Infrastructure Ireland — funded by and in collaboration with the NTA — is currently undertaking the “detailed alignment study” to determine the optimum layout for the rail system set to connect Ballincollig in the west to Mahon Point in the east via the city centre.

“That work is nearing completion, and it is expected that an emerging preferred option for Luas Cork will be published for public consultation this year,” she said.

Ms Graham said the NTA currently does not have the funding to progress the project beyond that stage.

“We don’t have the funding to bring it to more detailed design, to bring it to planning at this stage,” she said. 

“[The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy] sets it out as being delivered later in the strategy, so being a post-2030 delivery. That’s as much as we could say on the timeline at this stage.”