Results 1-20 of 20 for in 'Dáil debates' segment:1755122

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Róisín Shortall: Question 41: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the very high cost of building a metro and the need for high passenger numbers to make it viable, he will consider selecting a route which serves sites with high-density development potential and funding it by means of development levies from these sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12721/04]

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Rory O'Hanlon: Question No. 44 in the name of Deputy Eamon Ryan should have been taken with Question No. 41. However, that question falls because the Deputy is not present.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a metro with a link to Dublin Airport. I have received the revised outline business case for line 1 of a metro from the Railway Procurement Agency, which involves a line from Dublin Airport to the city centre. I am finalising my proposals on a metro in the context of the wider transport needs of the greater Dublin area and I expect...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Róisín Shortall: Estimates of the cost of providing a metro from Dublin Airport or Swords to the city centre range from €2 billion to €5 billion. Even the lower figure is a considerable amount of money which would be a massive investment, but the cost to the taxpayer of the public private partnership route proposed by the Minister could be much greater than the estimates I have cited. There is a case for...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I agree with the Deputy and want levies to be used to help fund a metro. I intend to ask the Railway Procurement Agency to engage with Dublin City Council and the county councils to use levies to the full in the development of a metro. The Deputy will be aware that a levy has been proposed to raise funds with regard to the development of Luas at Cherryfield. In addition, Cork County Council...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Pattison: Under Standing Orders, Deputy Eamon Ryan's question falls because he was not present when it was called. I will, however, allow the Deputy to ask a supplementary question and I will extend the time available for the question to 12 minutes. I do not want my decision to be taken as a precedent.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his courtesy and I will not seek to have his decision taken as a precedent. The Minister appears to have indicated recently that in addition to the metro option, he is considering an alternative option by Iarnród Éireann that it would use existing railway lines to develop a link to Dublin Airport from the DART line probably somewhere north of Maynooth....

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: One of these days I will be right. As regards the question on the choice between a metro and Irish Rail's proposal, having examined both options I fully support the metro option. That is the Department's position. Iarnród Éireann has made some interesting proposals, some of which we have acted on, including upgrading the DART, developing double and quadruple tracking and resignalling parts...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Róisín Shortall: It is a bit disingenuous to sell it on the basis that we will not have to pay a cent until the trains are running but will pay through the nose for it after that. Future generations will be in hock if we go about it the way the Minister proposes. I would like the Minister to clarify his position on the development levies. He said he was exploring the possibility of development levies. I...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I am not saying levies will be used for current purposes as they have to be used for capital purposes. I take the point the Deputy made. If the capital cost is to be met initially by the private sector, then where does that levy go? The RPA claimed that it would acquire much of the land by using these levies initially before it signs off on the PPP.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Róisín Shortall: There are very few sites on the route that are densely populated.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The Deputy obviously knows the site very well. The nearer part of the route from DCU to the Mater hospital to Tara Street to O'Connell Street to Stephen's Green is heavily populated. I am not sure if there is much open space between the Mater hospital and O'Connell Street.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Róisín Shortall: Why not select a route?

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Eamon Ryan: Before the last election the Government said the metro would be up and running in 2007. Can the Minister predict in what year the metro will run to the airport? The motorway to Waterford would entail a similar cost. How does the Minister quantify the benefits of one against the other as an investment decision? Why does the road building programme get such large public funding, yet public...

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The road building programme will cost approximately €8 billion over the next five years. The public transport programme will cost €3.5 billion. That is still a very——

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Eamon Ryan: Capital funding is only €2.3 billion.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I have the figure of €3.5 billion, which includes the CIE subvention. That is all taxpayers' funds.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Eamon Ryan: In what year will the metro run to the airport?

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I have not got that information.

Light Rail Project. (4 May 2004)

Denis Naughten: As Johhny Logan said, "What's another year?"