Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

That is exactly what we are trying to do. As Members will be aware, the Luas system consists of two light rail lines. It is the first major piece of public infrastructure to be constructed in Dublin since the DART some 20 years ago. I have no doubt it will prove to be as popular and attractive to Dubliners as the DART. As the Minister, Deputy Brennan, has said, Senators in the greater Dublin area will be looking for extensions of the Luas line to their own areas when it is up and running. It is a pity, therefore, to hear what they have had to say about it in the House.

The Luas depots at the Red Cow and in Sandyford have been completed. Some 70% of the light rail line has been completed and the test tracks at the Red Cow and Sandyford are in place. I have heard arguments about differences in cost but obviously the people making those arguments do not know what they are talking about because there were two different projects, plan A and plan B. We decided that we were going to run with plan B, which was estimated initially at €465 million but when all the planning problems were taken into consideration the cost was put at €675 million. That was taking into account competitive tender prices, higher inflation in the construction sector, higher than anticipated property acquisition costs and changes to the scope of the project. The Luas project is running to cost and, although there has been some slippage in the time element, the consequences are not significant.

The RPA has advised my Department that the final cost of the project will be within the approved budget of €691 million, plus the contingency plan of €84 million as advised to the Government in December 2002. Unfortunately, there has been some slippage in the timetable for completion of the Luas. We urge all the companies involved, both in the public and private sectors, to do all in their power to ensure that no further delay takes place. We are happy that this will be so.

Senators have heard about all the discomfiture that the Luas works have brought about but I am not aware of any cities where light rail systems have been installed without disruption. Once the systems commence operating, however, they have been a great success. Which of us would not put up with some short-term pain for long-term gain? Senators can ask their opposite numbers in foreign cities what the situation was with regard to the construction of light rail systems and they will say that exactly the same situation prevailed.