Mr. Michael Nolan:

We welcome this engagement. It is very productive and it has been good to hear all of the views of the groups today. I need to emphasise this is not the first time we are engaging on this. Engagement started a few weeks ago and we give a full commitment from the NTA side and the TII side to continuous engagement over the coming weeks and after the closing of the public consultation stage. With regard to public consultation, as Ms Graham said, it is an emerging preferred route so it is fluid to some extent. There will be more opportunities for public consultation. There will be a six-week statutory public consultation stage once we published the railway order. It is very important to provide this opportunity for people to air their concerns and views to An Bord Pleanála.

We give a full commitment to continue to work on developing alternative solutions in the coming weeks, taking on board the submissions that have already been made. We have had submissions from many quarters and we also have what we have heard here today and what we will hear over the coming weeks from the clubs and schools. We are very happy to meet Prospect ACA and perhaps we will arrange a meeting to hear its views and clarify any confusing information that people come across when looking at our route section reports and mapping. After this session we can arrange a time that is suitable and begin engaging on this.

Mr. Creegan has dealt with all of the other questions. I want to respond to Deputy Shortall. As Ms Graham said earlier, we were informed that today we would deal with the impact of MetroLink on recreational facilities, and we were unaware the schools would be here. This is the only reason I did not address it in my opening statement. That is the explanation. Obviously we consider schools, sporting facilities and community groups very seriously and I reiterate we will give full engagement and a full commitment to work on this in the coming weeks.