Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last week, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, representatives were before the Committee of Public Accounts to discuss MetroLink. A sum of €250 million has been spent on metro north up to this point. Some €83 million has been spent since it became MetroLink in 2018. Given that it is supposed to be a priority of the Government and that there is cross-party support, why are State agency representatives continually appearing before Oireachtas committees or briefing the media with a view to pushing out the date and pushing up the cost, to the point where people believe the project will not happen? Dublin Airport is targeting 40 million passengers in the next eight to nine years. We need a light rail system.

While this is happening, there are tandem developments ploughing ahead, such as that at Fosterstown, Swords.

I, too, wish to put on record the intimidation noted by Deputy Paul Murphy in respect of the South Swords Residents Group, which has sought a judicial review to protect sustainable planning and local democratic master plans. The group is being put under intense pressure by solicitor firms and developers to withdraw its judicial reviews and actions, which it is entitled to take and which are very difficult for ordinary people and groups to pursue.

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