Results 2,061-2,080 of 20,048 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I take on board Mr. Doocey's point that this was a policy decision and that the NTA is directed by policy. Let me clarify this. Is Mr. Creegan telling me that up to December of last year, we spent €308 million on a project that has not moved yet?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: The MetroLink project.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: Separate to that, we have spent €150 million on a project that is now over with. We are not going to do the metro north project.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I accept that. That is €308 million up to December and we are nearly halfway through another year. I know Mr. Creegan has given me the figures as accurately as he can. I thank him for that. If I heard Mr. Creegan correctly, he said that the projected cost of MetroLink before the preparation work, the planning and everything else that has to be done - I understand there is a lot of...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: So it will cost €300 million for MetroLink and we have blown €150 million on metro north. This will mean we will have spent almost €500 million on the metro to the airport before we even send a Himac or a JCB out to the site.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: Of course I have.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I know this is a policy decision. I am not necessarily hammering the NTA on this issue. It is new to me that €450 million will be spent on the metro project without ever buying a carriage or a metre of rail line, and without sending a digger or somebody with a hard hat out to the site to work on the project.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: Does Mr. Doocey want to answer that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: This cost is astronomical.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I accept that.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: We would have to debate that.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: €150 million.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I understand that but the fact of the matter is that the aim is still the same - it is to get a connection between the city centre of Dublin, the north of Dublin and the airport.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: It seems that an incredible sum of money has been spent without anything happening, and without anybody being able to see physical work starting. I take on board the point that politicians have a job to do to try to shorten these processes. We do not want to take shortcuts because it is not about carrying out cowboy projects. We need to speed up the planning and preparation stage. We need...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: We are nearly at €500 million. Given that we have already clocked up €450 million, I project that over €500 million will have been spent without anything having happened. Did Mr. Creegan want to come in on that point?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I understand this can be expensive, but it seems to be very, very expensive. The fact is that so much money has already gone down the tube. If an ordinary citizen wasted €150, they would beat themselves up for a week. In this case, €150 million was wasted with not a thing to show for it, not even a piece of paper. I accept-----

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I understand that. It was a policy decision. That is banked. I accept Mr. Doocey's word on that. I will not go there as we are not going to discuss policy. That is for a different forum. I will turn to something more minor, which is bus stops. Ms Graham, you will not be surprised I am revisiting this. You and I have had many conversations and I thank you for your help over the years....

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: Yes, the upbound one. How much did that cost?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: Can you come back to me with that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Brian Stanley: I will say one thing. This one did not cost €25,000. No way, not with the machinery on site and the length of time it went on. There was a separate piece of work because the council carried out some ducting work in that area. They understandably took advantage of the works. A massive structure went there before the physical thing was put in. The one on the down side of the...