Mr. Hugh Creegan:

We have a lot of that information already. For instance, the census provides information on where people live, to where they are travelling, the times at which they leave and the mode of transport used. We have that information and numerous other sources. Therefore, we have an enormous database which that type of information, although I am not saying we have everything complete in terms of the knowledge we need. We did not, but we certainly had enough to prepare a draft plan, which is what we did.

On BusConnects and writing to property owners but not to others, we are very conscious that property owners are the people who will be affected most because we will be interfering with their property. They are the ones on whom we focused in writing individually. We went as far as offering all of them a one to one meeting to discuss the project as it would affect them, the issues that were particular to them and other matters that needed to be taken into account. That was the reason we focused on them, as opposed to writing to every single person across the city.

On how we will deal with affected residential tenants and property owners, in the document that was published yesterday we have put forward that, if we take College Gate apartments as an example, we will assist the tenants who will receive plenty of advance notice when the building is to be acquired because we will have to go through a process with An Bord Pleanála and the scheme will have to be approved or otherwise. If it is, they will be given plenty of advance notice. We will work with them to find alternative accommodation. We have committed to paying a year's rent for those tenants who will have to relocate. We have also committed to providing assistance for property owners and owner-occupiers to assist them in finding alternative property. The compensation system of the State will kick in to compensate them appropriately for the property that will be acquired. We have the right approach in place and hope to continue with it.