Seanad debates

Wednesday, 21 May 2003

Strategic Rail Review Report: Statements (Resumed).

 

In the past five years we have spent more than €1 billion on public investment in our rail network under the former Minister, Senator O'Rourke. We have been told today in the strategic rail review that we will have to spend another €10 billion in that regard, which I am sure people will find staggering. We are aware that this type of money is not available. While such development is planned over a 20 year period, the country cannot wait such a period for a solution to the problem. We will have to decide our priorities. If we are to invest this type of money in our rail network and at the same time seek to invest in a metro for Dublin, we will have to examine how such a system can be supplied. We will have to seriously question the RPA figures and how it can come up with a figure of €5 billion for the line to Dublin Airport when a similar proposal in Madrid has been costed at a fraction of this figure. In Madrid more than 100 km of metro have been built in recent years. Using the Madrid model figures, we could have a Luas line all the way to Dingle. In this light, there is something wrong with the figures of the Rail Procurement Agency. We must examine the manner in which we carry out such projects and how Europeans carry them out.

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