Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

This relatively simple project to join the red and the green Luas lines, never mind going on to Liffey junction, highlights the difficulties in making any sort of progress with this particular route. It demonstrates the lack of any kind of a body in Dublin to co-ordinate decisions and ensure they are made.

The urgency of this cannot be overstated. Earlier, my colleague spoke about people coming in from the west of Ireland. The Luas red line serves not just the Tallaght area but significant numbers of people from mainline rail at Heuston Station who are coming from the west and all the commuter counties around Dublin. It is absolutely essential that the trams can bring people right into the city centre and on to the south side. It will create many more trips.

I am sure the Minister would agree the absence of this join-up is dividing the city, along with a River Liffey which does not have half enough bridges across it. In Transport 21, the completion date for joining of the two Luas lines is next year, yet a route has not even been selected yet. The chances of finishing it by next year are zero, so even as we start Transport 21 we are already way behind.

Will the Minister give us any firm date for the completion of the joining of the two lines? I will come to Liffey junction in another question but when is it likely that the red and green Luas lines will be joined? Is there any chance that the DTA will push this ahead?

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