Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

A number of major infrastructure projects, planned under Transport 21 for the period to 2015, will have a major impact on Dublin city centre. These include metro north, the rail interconnector and the cross-city and Lucan Luas lines. There will also be other major construction activity during the same period, including the renewal of water and electricity services and a number of large private developments.

To facilitate the implementation of these Transport 21 projects, the Dublin city manager has set up and is chairing a Dublin Transport 21 implementation group consisting of the chief executives of the principal implementing agencies and representatives of my Department, the Garda Síochána, Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the Dublin City Business Association. Among the functions of that group is the preparation of a traffic management plan for the city centre during the construction of the Transport 21 projects. This plan will make provision for alternative traffic routes and for improved public transport priority measures while taking account of the concerns of various interests, in particular the business community. All agencies participating in the formulation of the plan are aware of the importance of maintaining access to the centre of Dublin and of retaining its competitive edge.

In support of the initiative by Dublin City Council, I recently convened a meeting on 6 March of the principal implementing agencies, An Garda Síochána and business representatives, to reassure maximum information was interchanged between the stakeholders. The meeting was also to identify the principal concerns of the business community and consider how best to support the necessary traffic planning for the construction phase. This will be the first in a regular series of meetings to review progress.

The steps outlined constitute an effective approach to the traffic management issues likely to arise from the major investment projects in Dublin city centre. I am also satisfied that Dublin City Council should continue to lead on the development and implementation of this plan, pending the establishment of the Dublin transport authority on a statutory basis. In particular, I welcome the personal commitment of the Dublin city manager to this important work.

The Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008 is on Committee Stage in the Seanad. Section 64 proposes to give the Dublin transport authority specific statutory responsibility for preparing a strategic traffic management plan for the greater Dublin area which will set out the measures to be taken by the authority to optimise the movements of persons, goods and vehicles. In particular it will set out action to be taken to minimise the impact of construction work for transport infrastructure and other utilities. The Bill also proposes to give the authority wide funding and directive powers with surface transport in the greater Dublin area which will enable it to ensure effective action is taken in this area.

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