Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Where are the metrics? If there was a plan in 2016, 2017 or whenever the previous NDP was, to say that we needed to upgrade metro to at least as far as Sandyford, based on the growth projections for Cherrywood - which are very much in their infancy but at the same time they are absolutely out there - I would argue that the metrics need to look at the thousands of units being added in Cherrywood and the big increases in housing capacity right along the line. All along Goatstown, Dundrum and Kilmacud houses are being turned into 130 apartments; the mental hospital will have 1,200 or 1,500 units; there will be 700 units in Our Lady's Grove; and potentially 300 units at the Goat pub site, albeit that has been knocked back for the moment. There is a huge increase in demand on what was a creaking service and certainly at pre-pandemic peak times. I accept that some people can work from home, and it is great if they are able to do that and want to do that, but how much is the capacity being increased? When will the NTA look at a proper upgrade? I do not mean this in a derogatory way. When a substantial upgrade was being proposed four or five years ago there were a lot of suggestions, particularly in Ranelagh about how it would affect the people living there. I have sympathy for anyone affected by any upgrade, but one cannot make an omelette without breaking some eggs. I am worried that not too far from now we are going to be back with a green line that is just not capable of dealing with what is there.