Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it was remiss of me at the outset not to compliment the work that has been done to bring the project on. It is hugely important infrastructure that will help in bringing about a more integrated public transport network in the capital city. It is a good start and while we have a long way to go, we must acknowledge the work that has been done. As the Minister said, a lot of people have been inconvenienced by the construction work in the past few years, but I hope they will reap many benefits and rewards when the service is up and running. Does the Minister know how much of the money raised by way of the development levies went towards meeting the overall cost of the line?

My next question may be a little unfair because the Minister cannot predict how much development will take place along the new line. However, the Department is aware of how much land has been zoned for development. On that basis, can the Minister give us a figure for the potential development levies that could be recouped in the next five to ten years by Dublin City Council?

I note that €150 million of the cost of the Luas cross city project was met through European funding, which is welcome. I have said to the Minister on previous occasions that I do not think the Government is availing enough of the funding available to us to invest in infrastructural improvements. Now that we see the benefits of such investment in this project, will the Minister commit to considering using the Juncker fund to accelerate other projects in the future?