Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

To go back to a previous comment, I was a little disappointed to hear Sinn Féin float a hard rail solution for Dublin Airport, or the spur out to Clongriffin as it was known. While that solution might meet the needs of airport users, it would not meet those of towns such as Swords and Ballymun, or DCU. That is why MetroLink is on the table. It has been tested against all the other options. Hard rail would not fix the congestion on the M1 corridor either.

We also have congestion on the northern line as it exists at present. That is another impact. What are the plans to remove congestion on the northern line as it exists? New carriages are on order. There has been a massive population increase along the coast as far as Drogheda and electrification of the line, but we still just have those two tracks linking Dublin and Belfast. What are Irish Rail's plans as regards congestion?

One of the questions I get regarding the new carriages on order is whether there will be toilet facilities on them. Some of the commuter line commuters are concerned that the service might diminish in that regard. If Mr. Meade will answer that, I have two more issues to raise after that.