Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

The Minister has called for a discussion based on economic sustainability. That has been the focus of debate as politicians from Dublin, in particular, focused on the capital projects that may or may not go ahead. It will come as no surprise to anybody that I am particularly interested in metro north. Members on this side of the House based our proposals, as Opposition parties, on information provided to us by the previous Government. The problem is that there was no substance behind the budgetary headings in the capital budget. We have had to deal with that legacy.

We must be realistic in our approach to the capital budget, which has had to be reduced significantly. The bottom line is that the resources simply are not there. I support Deputy Donnelly's call for further information on the rationale behind the plan, particularly in regard to the projects we are likely to revisit in the coming years, such as metro north and Thornton Hall. These are projects in which there has been significant investment by the taxpayer over a period of years. A failure to provide a concrete rationale for these and other decisions that will be made in the coming years would be regrettable.

On a positive note, I welcome the commitment to proceed with the Luas BXD project, which will have an important impact on transport provision in the capital. Will the Minister outline the decision that has been made in regard to investment in the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann fleets?

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