Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The construction of a new rail line will allow for local small businesses to grow, along with the potential development of a new tourism sector. As Swords is the closest town to the airport, it could be a popular stay over location for tourists if there is an easy access rail line for them to use. MetroLink will provide residents with greater job opportunities because those without cars will no longer be restricted to areas covered by the current bus routes. We in Fingal have been excessively patient on this project. Northside MetroLink should not be further delayed due to opposition to the southside alignment.

The southside already has a Luas line and is relatively well served. A cynic would say the project is almost designed to fail if these southside objections are allowed to delay the project even further. I ask the Minister to fast-track the northside alignment. It is badly needed. Enough analysis has been done on the Swords-to-city-centre route to move that element forward. The solution is to divide the project into two phases and move on with the northside phase. The CEO of Fingal County Council also expressed frustration on this matter last evening to the councillors in the chamber.

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