Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin has always supported metro north. It will benefit the environment as it will remove thousands of cars from our streets every week and carry more than 50 million passengers per year. There are major benefits relating to employment, not just during the construction phase, which would provide 4,000 jobs, but afterwards, with the creation of new jobs and businesses all along the area served by metro north. It will also help in regenerating areas and provide badly needed access to Dublin Airport.

We must also be conscious of the impact that long-term construction work will have on our communities. Some real concerns, for example, are plans to requisition the grounds and lands associated with Na Fianna GAA Club and Home Farm Football Club on St. Mobhi Road as a staging post for the underground boring machinery and other works associated with the project. This has the potential to cause untold and irrecoverable damage to both clubs. I would like to offer my condolences to the family and Na Fianna on the passing of their club secretary, Deirdre Lambe. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. This plan will also impact greatly on residents and three local schools, Scoil Chaitríona, Scoil Mobhí and Whitehall College, affecting hundreds of children and their families daily.

I have a suggestion that I believe will have the least impact on the community and surrounding areas. There are virgin lands just north of Ballymun where this heavy boring equipment could be stored and utilised and works could be commenced from there. Will the Minister give this suggestion some consideration as a more viable and sensible option in place of the existing proposals, which have huge implications for our communities?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I also extend our condolences to the family, friends and indeed club colleagues of the rúnaí of Na Fianna GAA Club, Deirdre Lambe, who passed away on 14 April. I know she is greatly missed and lamented by all who knew her.

As Deputy Ellis has said, we acknowledge that metro north is vitally important transport infrastructure. We also accept that it is important that work begins on its construction as soon as possible. I set those two points out clearly because I do not want us to have a diversionary or false debate. This is not a matter of opposition to the metro. However, the current proposals would see Na Fianna GAA Club, which has 3,000 members, moved off its grounds for up to seven years. That would be catastrophic for the club. It cannot be allowed to happen. An alternative must be found. Na Fianna is not only a GAA facility but it is used widely by local schools and the community, as is normal with clubs of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. The current proposals make no sense. It provides an impossible situation for Na Fianna GAA Club. Its members will be in Leinster House next Wednesday to address the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport and put forward their case. They are not here to have a row or fall out with people. They are looking for a resolution that protects this important community facility.

What other locations were considered? Will the Minister consider the proposal put forward by my colleague, Deputy Ellis? As has been said, I am focusing on Na Fianna GAA Club, but equally I could cite Scoil Chaitríona, Scoil Mobhí and Whitehall College, all public facilities. Members of the public are beside themselves with worry about this.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue and acknowledge the support of Sinn Féin for the metro project. That should not be forgotten with what is happening, which they have addressed today. I join them in expressing sympathy to the family of Deirdre Lambe who passed away.

The MetroLink project is the development of a north-south urban railway service that will run between Swords and Sandyford and connect key destinations along the 26 km route. There will be 25 stations in total, 15 of which will be brand new. A large proportion of the route will be underground, including where it passes under the important city centre area and Dublin Airport. The underground section will terminate close to the Charlemont stop on the Luas green line in the south city area and the metro will then run southwards above ground on the existing Luas green line, which will be upgraded to metro standard as part of the project.

I wish to directly address the issue of Na Fianna as I acknowledge that the controversy has arisen because of the potential difficulties foreseen by it and Home Farm, along with the fears and apprehension of the three potentially affected schools. I also wish to thank Deputy Ellis for his suggestion. I suggest that he submit his points to the ongoing consultation process. There is a temptation for Deputies to make suggestions to me but such suggestions should be made to the National Transport Authority, NTA. However, there is an opportunity to make such suggestions in the House and there is no doubt that the NTA will be aware of what Deputy Ellis has stated in the House as well as his direct submission.

The MetroLink project can bring many benefits. I am confident that the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, through the consultative process that is under way, will find a way of delivering the MetroLink project and maintaining good routes that interchange with other public transport in a way that respects the social, community and sporting life of our city. The NTA has committed to work collaboratively with Na Fianna to address the concerns identified and develop mitigating proposals for discussion within three to four weeks of the consultation deadline. That attitude and willingness to talk and consult and find a better solution if there is one will apply to all other parties concerned. As the Deputies are now aware, the proposed route is not set in stone and it would be wrong if it were.

It is predicted that capacity for 15,000 passengers per direction per hour during the busiest peak times will be required along the corridor I have addressed. MetroLink will have the capacity for 30 trains per hour in each direction and will greatly enhance the public transport offering in Dublin. The creation of about 4,000 jobs during construction is also envisaged, which is significant for the economy in the region. The NTA, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TIl, recently launched the public consultation to which I have referred on the emerging preferred route. It is appropriate that we continue to refer to it as the emerging preferred route. It is a proposal which has been identified as the likely optimal scheme from a technical design perspective but without the benefit of public consultation and input. It is not a finalised and selected scheme. The final layout will only be determined after consideration and evaluation of the issues raised during the consultation process, including the representations made by Deputies McDonald and Ellis.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. There has been a huge amount of consultation on this project over the years. There were very contentious consultations before the project was scrapped and put on the long finger in 2011 but the current proposal regarding the land of Na Fianna is the most contentious I have seen. It does not make sense. When I met the NTA and other parties at the recent consultation, I immediately raised the concern that using these grounds was going to be a non-runner. Albert College was previously identified as a potential route, which raised very contentious issues. I have suggested that the virgin lands north of Ballymun could be utilised. There is no reason boring machines could not be used on those lands. The consultation process is in train and accepting submissions. I will be making a submission and it is important that it is taken on board. I hate when this is described as the optimal decision. It sends out the wrong message regarding this being the way we are going. We must hope that the NTA will be sensible in its approach to the consultation.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I take his point that this is not a finalised scheme and that a process is under way. However, it is clear this is likely to be the optimal scheme from a technical point of view, as he has stated. The deep concern of the clubs - the Minister correctly also referenced Home Farm - and schools is that the technical optimal position will supersede and take preference over the considerations to which the Minister referred in terms of social and community life of the city. I seek reassurance from the Minister that the consultation process will not be a case of simply going through the motions. I have no doubt that all stakeholders will work collaboratively with him but they need to know that the social and community dimension will have equal or greater billing than a simple technical view of the route.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputies that the NTA will consider the obvious social consequences of the project with equal enthusiasm. The words were carefully chosen in terms of it being referred to as the optimal technical route. I suspect those words were left out deliberately because they would give the impression that it is optimal in the technical sense, which is a very crude way of judging a project such as this. I will convey the Deputies' wishes that the social consequences of the project be taken into account to the NTA. They should also do so themselves. I will not interfere in the process. There is a tendency to ask me to draw every route of every road and railway line. I will not do that but I am conscious that the sensitivities of communities must be balanced against the need to go ahead with this very necessary project. I assure the Deputies that what they have said will be taken on board, that there is a serious consultation process under way and that the NTA will work collaboratively with Na Fianna.