Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I will go through the various questions. Deputy Broughan asked in the previous set of supplementary questions about the Green Party. My Green Party colleagues have been most supportive of this project. The have strongly expressed the need to move forward with this project, which I appreciate.

Regarding speculation, the Deputy raised a similar question before the summer. In our exchange then I said speculation could damage the tendering prospects. I agree that speculation and the kind of stories that have been fed, from whatever source, could damage the tendering process, especially at this sensitive time. Spending is ongoing and provision will be made in the Estimates for what the RPA believes is necessary to spend on this project in 2009.

On the final point, as recently as this week and on a quarterly basis I engage with all the agencies, including the CIE companies, the Garda, Dublin City Council, Dublin City Business Association and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce on the roll-out of the plan to ensure the city is kept going.

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