Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Bill. Transport 21 is an ambitious plan and is much needed. The investment in transport in general and public transport in particular was a major project that began in the late 1990s for all surface transport across the country but was heavily focused in the greater Dublin area. The progress already made both in Dublin and in other parts of the country has made a huge difference to quality of life but I accept there is a great deal to be done.

I take the view that the Dublin transport authority will develop in time more like the National Roads Authority has done. I am not sure of the relevance of the comparison with the Health Service Executive. That is a completely different kettle of fish.

My office has a role in regard to the management of St. Stephen's Green. In some ways, this highlights the need for co-ordination because three major projects will impact on St. Stephen's Green, including the continuation of the Luas line to join up the red and green lines. In all probability, that will go around part of the green. The rail interconnector is planned for the same location and the metro north will start there to head out to the airport and beyond. My predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, covered that point in his speech. When talking about major engineering works being carried out by different agencies and authorities, one cannot emphasise enough the imperative for co-ordination and co-operation. One of the roles of the Dublin transport authority will be to ensure that co-ordination happens in the vicinity of St. Stephen's Green and everywhere else.

St. Stephen's Green is a focal point in Dublin and the work there will involve sensitive heritage and environmental considerations. I am sure everybody will want to see the portion of the green that is affected fully restored after the works are carried out with minimal visual disruption. Many people will want to ensure also that the ducks, swans and other bird life that might be disrupted in part of the water will be well looked after. I and my office will do our best to ensure that is the case.

There are often complaints while such projects are under way. We have heard reference to that in the debate already about the disruption caused, when it will be over and whether it will all end in disaster. The first such debate I can remember goes back 25 years. The editor of the Irish Press used to write editorials about the total chaos that would ensue at the Merrion Gates when the DART system was built. There are pressures along that road but it is not the sort of apocalypse that was predicted. He was arguing for flyovers and possibly an eastern bypass as well.

We have the same sort of situation at the Red Cow at the moment and around the M50. I am sure the Ceann Comhairle recalls when the Naas dual carriageway was being updated a year or two ago and travel on it was slow and inconvenient. As one limped along, one wondered when it would ever end, but the fact is it did come right and it is now an excellent road. When I was a columnist with The Sunday Business Post , the editorial staff were always giving out to me about the Luas construction along Harcourt Street. The Sunday Business Post survived and the Luas provides a fine service into St. Stephen's Green. We have to accept when improvement is taking place that there will be some disruption. However, it is important to have proper co-ordination in order to minimise the disruption but it is not totally avoidable.

The interconnector will have knock-on effects around the country. A point was made in the Irish Examiner recently that according to timetables — not that timetables are always to be treated as gospel — mainline train speeds from places such as Cork, Limerick and Galway are slower than they were in the 1970s. Part of the reason is the congestion on lines coming into and out of Dublin. As I understand it, Irish Rail sees the interconnector as playing an important part in relieving that pressure. Assuming that to be the case, it will have benefits throughout the mainline rail system.

The capital belongs to everyone and is used by many. It is used by all of us at any rate during the middle of the week. I lived in the city as a civil servant and adviser for 28 years. I am now back in No. 52 St. Stephen's Green where I worked 30 years ago as a civil servant in the economic division of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

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