Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil don Teachta Ó Snodaigh as ucht roinnt nóiméad a thabhairt dom. Tháinig mé isteach chun ceist a chur ar an Aire, ach tá sé imithe anois. Níl fhios agam an fiú an ceist a chur, ach de réir cosúlachta beidh an Aire Stáit sásta an méid atá le rá agam a chur in iúl don Aire.

I wanted to take the opportunity to draw the Minister of State's attention to one aspect of Transport 21, to which the Minister has more or less admitted he is not fully committed, in spite of older absolute commitments by the previous Minister. I refer to the extension of the Luas to the north side of Dublin along what is known as the Broadstone line, from the city to the Liffey Junction. There is an absolute commitment to extend the Luas by 2012 on that old line, which had been derelict for 70 years. There was some uncertainty about this under the then Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, who later made it clear that he was committed to it and that it would happen.

Unfortunately, in Dáil replies to me the current Minister stated that a commitment to the strategy as set out in Transport 21 remains, unless independent consultants confirm that there are strong strategic transport and operational arguments that require consideration of an alternative use. Given the Railway Procurement Agency has already started its work to achieve this section of the Luas for the north side of Dublin, and given the fact that the Broadstone line is the only major public transport access route for the €1 billion Grangegorman development of the new DIT campus, I think the Minister needs to be educated on what is required for the regeneration for the north side of Dublin city centre. Providing a Luas along that line into the Grangegorman redevelopment area is absolutely critical. Any talk about other strategic interests is a nonsense. I am incredulous that the Minister would waste public money in employing consultants at enormous expense to look at the possibility of an alternative strategic use for the Broadstone line. Anyone who knows anything about the regeneration and the renewal of the north side of Dublin city centre knows that public transport is absolutely critical.

I listened carefully to the Minister's statement today when he spoke about the different commitments under Transport 21, but he did not mention this one. He did not mention the controversy that is raging outside. The Railway Procurement Agency, which was charged with the project, was not even informed that consultants had been employed to look at a possible alternative strategic use. I hope that the issues raised will be brought to the attention of the Minister and that he replies to them.

I wish to conclude by congratulating the residents of Drumcondra, who achieved the impossible in getting the RPA to realign its route for metro-north away from the most residential part of Drumcondra and into open space. It was a terrific achievement and the residents deserve recognition for it.

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