Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. The purpose of our meeting today is to engage on the proposed MetroLink and its impact on local amenities, in which there is significant interest.

MetroLink is a major national development. It is a north-south urban railway service that will run between Swords and Sandyford, connecting key destinations, including Dublin Airport. This 26 km route across Dublin city will service 25 stations, 15 of which will be new and a large portion of the route, mostly on the north side of the city, will be underground. It is expected to create about 4,000 jobs during construction, which will have a very significant impact on the economy nationally and regionally. The National Transport Authority, NTA, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, recently launched a public consultation process on the emerging planned route. Members of the public have until Friday, 11 May to submit their views and opinions on MetroLink.

The request to raise this issue at a committee meeting came from Deputy Rock and other members who were anxious that it would take place. The key issue was the timeline in terms of public consultation and allowing the views of people to be heard.

I welcome all the witnesses. There will be seven opening statements and I will call on witnesses to make their opening statement in the following order: Ms Anne Graham, chief executive officer, and Mr. Hugh Creegan, deputy chief executive officer and director of transport investment of the NTA; Mr. Michael Nolan, chief executive officer and Mr. Peter Walsh, director of capital programme, TII; Mr. Michael Dowling, chairman, and Mr. Eamonn Mahon, honorary secretary, Home Farm Football Club; Mr. Cormac Ó Donnchú, chairman, and Ms Bernie Caffrey, past chairman, Na Fianna; Ms Anu Meehan and Ms Elaine Gahan, Prospect Architectural Conservation Area; Ms Marcella Nic Niallaigh, principal, and Mr. James Hart, parent, Scoil Mobhí; Ms Carmel de Grae, principal, and Ms Caroline Conroy, chairperson of the parents' committee, Scoil Chaitríona.

I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. I will ensure that everybody's voice will be heard. I remind members and witnesses to switch off their mobile phones.

Today, the committee members have been joined by other Oireachtas Members. Two of our members have written to the secretariat. Deputy Troy has asked Deputy Lahart to represent him at this meeting and Deputy Munster has stated that she wishes to share time with Deputy Ellis. I accede to both requests. The tradition has been that those Oireachtas Members who are not members of the committee are called after members of the committee have spoken. Specifically, Deputy Shortall has been in touch with me and requested witnesses who have been happy to come before us. I will be happy to call public representatives from the constituency who drop in and anybody else thereafter.

There will be a question session after the presentation. I will try to ensure that everybody will be heard and everybody will be listened to. We will be fair and equitable to everybody.

Before we commence and in accordance with procedure, I am required to remind those present of the following information. I draw attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. If, however, they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against either a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Ms Anne Graham, chief executive of the National Transport Authority, to make her opening statement.