Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is the seventh proposed route since the original metro north was first unveiled as part of Transport 21 in 2005. I cannot hold the Minister, Deputy Ross, responsible for all of that.

There is scepticism out there as to whether this will ever be delivered. It is the fifth time there have been proposed changes in Deputy Ross's tenure. Is the route being designed around the Cabinet table or is it being designed by the NTA and TII because, during a Topical Issue debate a number of months ago, in response to two Government Deputies the Minister stated there would be no separation of metro north and metro south? Has a cost-benefit analysis been conducted for the most recent project which will see the metro stop at Charlemont? On what advice was this route change undertaken? Were other options, such as extending the route in the south-west direction, looked at? What impact will this have on the delivery of MetroLink? As I asked at the outset, when is construction of this project due to begin and due to end?

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