Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. The Deputy is aware of the current status of the MetroLink project both from my earlier answer and the briefing session the National Transport Authority arranged for Members last week. The Taoiseach was correct in that the project has a great deal of appeal and all projects should be considered if they appear sensible on the surface, although they must come under serious examination. There must be appropriate consideration in this regard.

I acknowledge the Deputy’s interest in improving public transport in the city and the country. Since publication of the emerging preferred route last year, the Deputy has been vocal in expressing his views and the views of some of his constituents about those initial proposals that had been put forward by the NTA. The views of everyone who made a submission to last year’s consultation process, all 8,000 of them, were carefully considered by the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland and they informed the development of what is now known as the preferred route. Members of the public and in this House now have another opportunity to make their views known on this route and I encourage them to do so.

I have heard various metro routes proposed by people in recent months and I have no doubt more will be proposed in the coming weeks. However, proposals are sometimes put forward for areas where the population and transport demand levels now and in the future simply do not need metro levels of service: many areas, including those mentioned by the Deputy many times, can be very adequately served by other high quality public transport options that can be delivered at lower levels of cost and disruption.

It is well recognised internationally that transport planning, particularly of this city-region scale, cannot be undertaken on the basis of an individual Deputy's preferences or disparate ideas. It has to be rationally and logically planned with careful evaluation of the actual transport needs and the capacity required to meet those needs. The Deputy would appreciate this, having being involved with decisions of this sort. I know he supports such a process: he made similar comments in the House last week. It is why a previous Government with which he is not unfamiliar introduced the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, which established what we now know as the NTA. It is why that Act requires the NTA to develop a 20-year transport strategy, covering all modes and the entire greater Dublin area. It is why that Act stipulates stringent requirements upon the NTA to consult the public, the Oireachtas and local authorities in developing that strategy. It is why that Act requires the draft strategy be submitted to the Minister to allow the Minister make his or her views known and, if necessary, amended before it is approved. The Deputy knows that the establishment of this statutory framework was long sought and long fought.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I really fear we are trying to undo the hard-won progress that we have made in terms of strategic transport planning. I welcome the Deputy’s desire for better public transport and I share it. I do not, however, believe we serve the interests of anybody in attempting to up-end a carefully constructed strategic framework designed to look well into the future and plan our transport infrastructure needs. The Deputy’s ideas on different possibilities may well be worth consideration and that consideration will be given, but it must be given within the framework that exists.

When the NTA starts reviewing the transport strategy for the greater Dublin area, as it is obliged to do every six years, in accordance with the Act, all options are on the table. That review must be completed by 2021, so work will start during 2020 on it. Last week the Deputy in this House reiterated his desire not to hold up MetroLink and I share that desire. I also have no desire to interfere in the improvements that have been introduced, and which the Deputy supports, to how we strategically plan for our transport future.

See this speech in context