Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

——and for realigning the metro. That is the reason for the metro being a couple of months behind schedule, if it is behind schedule at all. Those who are negative in their criticism should recognise that the Government would be criticised if it did not listen to people via public consultations. At the end of this ten-year period, everyone's quality of life throughout the country will have become significantly better.

Initially, the metro north line was only planned to go to Dublin Airport. I am proud I lobbied for it to be extended to Swords. The metro project will be a vital component to Fingal County Council's plans to increase the population of Swords to 100,000 and make it a city. I congratulate the role played by Fingal County Council management and councillors in bringing the metro project to Swords.

The benefits of the metro will be recognised, particularly with 19 minute travel times between the city and the airport when a similar journey by bus can take up to two hours. When the metro is up and running, it will take 41,000 cars off the road, a major benefit, and carry 34 million passengers annually.

Many criticised the Luas service for its lack of capacity, but it has responded to this. There have been major improvements on most of Dublin Bus services. That is not to say we do not want more improvements. Transport 21 will deliver 170 extra buses and north Dublin, which has the fastest growing local authority area in the country, if not in Europe, needs a significant portion of them. When the Luas, metro and DART extensions are in place, along with extra Dublin Bus services, we will have a magnificent public transport system.

The economic benefit of such a transport system to the greater Dublin region, particularly to north Dublin, will be significant. Many new jobs will be created and services will be established in north Dublin, allowing people to commute to north Dublin rather than the city. I look forward to the RPA making its railway order next year and moving a step closer to getting the tendering process in motion.

I take issue with a Fine Gael Party Senator who has been critical of the metro project. He has decried the metro project in debates in the Seanad and on national television, claiming it should not be constructed.

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