Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)

I also congratulate the students on winning the debating championship.

I welcome the emerging preferred route for the Cork Luas, but major questions remain. We do not know how much the Government intends to invest in this crucial project. We do not know if a second north-south route is planned. Crucially, we do not know when the Cork Luas will open. This project cannot be left like the Dublin metro, which has been delayed now by 25 years. There is a history of announcements of key infrastructure projects in Cork that are never delivered. These include the events centre, the new city library and the motorway to Limerick, and I could go on. Time and again, there are big announcements of infrastructure projects that are never delivered for our city. Cork urgently needs better public transport and we need it now.

I have three questions for the Tánaiste. Does the Government intend to build a second line connecting the northside of the city to the southern suburbs and the airport? How much has been allocated for this key project? Crucially, when will we see passengers on a Luas in Cork?

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