Project Ireland 2040 foresees the population of Cork city expanding by 115,000 to 350,000 and the population of the metropolitan area to around 400,000. Increasingly there is consensus that such growth is not sustainable if based on a heavy reliance on cars. Cork needs more buses, bus rapid transit and probably light rail services. In January I raised the issue of the Cork metropolitan transport strategy with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport who said it would be published in February and subject to public consultation, but there is still no sign of it. Like so many issues affecting Cork, it appears that the Government is dragging its feet. When will the strategy be published and when will it be subject to public consultation?

I do not have the timelines, but I will ask the office of the Minister, Deputy Ross, to correspond with the Deputy on the matter. The fundamental point made by him is correct. The population of Cork is going to grow by 50% between now and 2040. That cannot happen in conjunction with a reliance on cars, which is why Project Ireland 2040 contains hundreds of millions of euros for BusConnects in Cork and protects the alignment of a potential light railway also. We also have to invest in roads, which is why projects such as the Dunkettle interchange project, for example, will start next year, tender documents have been issued for the M20 motorway project and we are very keen to progress the road project to Ringaskiddy.

In the programme for Government there is a commitment to provide for special needs education. I want to ask the Taoiseach about his commitment to deliver the eagerly awaited autism spectrum disorder, ASD, behavioural unit at St. Claire's national school in Ballyjamesduff. There are many concerned and worried parents who have to take their children with special needs to other units much greater distances from their homes, including, for example, the early intervention centre in Mullagh. Ballyjamesduff covers a huge area and the unit is badly needed. We expect the unit to be in place and fully operational in September 2019. Can the Taoiseach give a commitment that that will be the case?

I am afraid that I do not have any information to hand on that project, but I can certainly ask the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, to correspond with the Deputy on it. Perhaps the Deputy might raise it as the subject of a parliamentary question or a Topical Issues matter.