Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 91: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the optimum manner of providing a rail link to Dublin Airport; and when he expects to make proposals to Cabinet on this. [5093/05]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 93: To ask the Minister for Transport the proposals which exist to provide a commuter rail service to Dublin's northside and to Dublin Airport; if he remains committed to the development of a metro from Dublin city centre either to the airport or to Swords; his views on a metro service for this area; his preferred alternative; if alternatives are currently being advanced by his Department in order to develop a rail connection for Dublin's northside; if not, the reason therefore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5047/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Question Nos. 91 and 93 together.

The programme for Government contains a specific commitment to develop a metro for Dublin with a link to Dublin Airport. The Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business case for a metro from the city centre to Dublin Airport while Iarnród Éireann submitted proposals last July for an integrated rail network in the greater Dublin area. These proposals include the electrification of the Kildare, northern and Maynooth lines, a DART service to the airport off the northern line and an interconnector tunnel linking Heuston Station to the docklands to enable greater integration of rail services.

I expect to put proposals to Government in the near future for a ten year transport investment framework in the light of the announcement by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement of agreement in principle to a ten year capital investment envelope for transport. This plan will set out a comprehensive investment strategy for the greater Dublin area within the policy framework established by the document published by the Dublin Transportation Office, entitled A Platform for Change, and will take account of the proposals referred to above.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I was not looking for a history lesson. We all know what proposals are there. I asked for the Minister's thinking on the proposal. What does he believe is the best way of serving the northside and the airport in particular? Does the Minister accept that the northside has lost out badly in transport infrastructure, in spite of having a northside Taoiseach? Will the Minister give priority to serving the northside and Dublin Airport? What is his current thinking on the alternative proposals? On the one hand, there is the prospect of having a metro to the airport, serving Ballymun en route. On the other hand, there is a proposal by Irish Rail to take a spur off the DART line. When is the Minister likely to bring firm proposals to the Government?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree with the Deputy. There is no doubt that north Dublin is in serious need of a transport solution. I dislike the way it is often presented as an airport solution, because that is not the full capacity of what we should be delivering. There is the issue of the population base and the location of the metro, as well as the opening of further land for housing development. We need a transport solution for north Dublin.

This ten year envelope changes the perspective that I can bring to transport solutions for Dublin and the rest of the country. That is why the Minister for Finance announced this in his budget speech. The issues outlined in my response and those raised by the Deputy are on the desk. I want to make sure we pick the best of everything, but not in isolation. There has to be connectivity between all of the elements. We have to look at the connectivity between central Dublin, its suburbs and surrounding towns like Kildare, Maynooth and Drogheda. The different solutions, such as the metro, the interconnector and electrification of the lines, are all on the table.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

They have been on the table for five years.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If Deputy Ryan was in charge, they would be sitting there for the rest of his life. I want to conclude this. Since the budget speech, we have been involved in putting these solutions on the table. I also want to have real costings.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What does the Minister mean when he says that they have been involved in putting these things on the table? They already are on the table.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That is what I am saying. They are on the table.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What is needed is decision making.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will not come into this House with a few populist items. I want a cohesive solution to be presented in totality, which can bring——

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That was called A Platform for Change. The Minister's party ran for election on it.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

——a marrying of both public and private transport initiatives to get the best value for the public. It will bring safety benefits as well as a modal shift.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

When is he likely to go to Government with it?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I expect to go to the Cabinet sub-committee on this issue next month.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The former Minister with responsibility for public transport, Senator O'Rourke, promised us a metro seven years ago. She abandoned a Luas line for the northside in favour of an all-singing, all-dancing metro, saying we would all be riding on it within seven years. We have now lost seven years of planning, while costs have escalated and traffic has got worse. The current Minister is telling us that it is all on the table. The Government went to the electorate with A Platform for Change, which was a lovely map of everything that was going to be built in Dublin. We still have no evidence that any of it is anything other than a figment of the imagination. The Taoiseach stated two weeks ago that the metro was not going to happen as it was too costly. What has happened in the last couple of weeks that the Minister's trusty lieutenant was able to announce yesterday that the metro was going to go ahead? Will it happen? Has a decision been made? If a metro is not to be developed, then what will be developed? We have lost seven years of planning. We have already spent €8 million on establishing the feasibility of a metro. Is it feasible? The Taoiseach stated that it was not. Could we spend the same money building five Luas lines? When will we get a decision? We have had decisions in the past. Do they mean anything when this Minister makes them? Can he give us a timeframe for when this will be built if the decision is to be made?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The timeframe will be short. The ten year envelope was only announced in the budget speech in December. I have been involved in intensive preparation and I intend to go to Government at the first available meeting in March to put all these proposals before it. That is a reasonably short timeframe in respect of my tenure in office.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It did not all start when this Minister assumed office. It started seven years ago when the promise was made on a metro. Where is it?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If the Deputy wants me to answer the question, then I will do so. Does the proposal of the development of the metro and the many other proposals present solutions for north Dublin? The answer is that they do. However, I want to get the best solution, which is that which marries all of the different proposals together. We do not want to cherry-pick the sexy metro as a solution to everything. There are issues relating to interconnectivity with Dublin, for the DART and the lines from Maynooth, Kildare, Drogheda and so on. There are issues relating to capacity on the existing lines and stations. When I announce these proposals on behalf of the Government, I will face Opposition Deputies who will ask these questions. I want to make sure that my proposals can be delivered and are not idealistic.

I accept what the Deputy said about my Minister of State. I am blessed to have such an enthusiastic Minister of State. His commitment sometimes overruns with enthusiasm. Some of his recent pronouncements to the Fourth Estate are just guess work and are not based on any fact. I am sure he will join with me in supporting our proposals enthusiastically when they are made public.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Did he steal the Minister's thunder? We look forward to an early decision. The Minister is answering for his two predecessors who dragged their heels on transport initiatives in the Dublin area. What is the status of the commitment in the programme for Government to provide a full metro serving the airport? The Minister seems to be indicating he is still considering the possibility of a metro. The Taoiseach has stated that it is out of the question. Where does the overall plan for the metro now stand?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That is a key question. I do not claim to be an expert on public transport. However, some of the issues are clear. If one is to provide the best in terms of maximum capacity on a daily basis, then that presents one obvious solution. If one opts for different solutions, one provides different loading capacities, different levels of capacity and different usages.

As I acknowledged at the outset, the Deputy is correct to state that north Dublin has a clear need for significant investment in a transit system. I have publicly stated as much and there is no question about it. It is ironic that the Taoiseach who is from north Dublin has been so generous to the people of south Dublin in terms of the transport solutions which have been provided there. As I tried to explain to the Deputy, it was wrong to present a solution for north Dublin merely as an airport link. Deputies Shortall and Olivia Mitchell have often raised with me issues of spatial planning, capacity, the opening of new land in north Dublin for good quality, good value housing and the need to connect existing residential areas on the northside. One must examine the cost of making such provisions without distorting one's investments in other areas of Dublin and the rest of the country. Many Deputies raise with me the question of the western rail corridor. My aim in the ten-year envelope is to balance all of these competing needs. Clearly, everybody's wish list cannot be fulfilled.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is the Minister saying the metro is dead?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am saying no such thing until I go to Government early in March to address the Cabinet sub-committee. I will bring proposals to Government which will be considered and, subsequently, made public.

The ten-year envelope changes the way we can deliver all infrastructure. One can provide for a great deal of parallel development. Where necessary, one can go straight to the planning, tender, design or construction stage. One can set a number of projects in train at the same time though they will be completed at different times. Having to wait until one project is completed before starting the next has prevented us from providing the level of infrastructure required. The new procedures change the basis on which we can move forward in public and road transport provision with a mixture of investment from the State and private sector.