Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I am glad the Minister has returned to discuss the state-of-the-art modern transport system in Dublin which he mentioned en passant last week. The Minister made no reference in his speech to the Navan line. This was in the national development plan when it was first published. It is crucial this issue be developed. It would take much pressure off the N2 and N3, and would provide a service to satellite towns. I ask the Minister to respond to the issue at some stage and let us know the Government's plans.

We should have a start date for the metro project. I do not blame Senator Terry for having a view. There is no point people on the other side saying they are committed, when we all know it must be done. I believe it will be done, and I do not think the Minister or Government have pulled back from it. It would be madness if they did. However, we should start it now.

Members of Fingal County Council and the recently retired Fingal county manager, Mr. Willie Soffe, had a proposal with regard to the metro. They made a solid business, social and infrastructural case for the extension of the metro to Swords. In its development plan, the county council pencilled in space for stations in Swords. Much of this will be achieved on a neutral cost basis, paid for by developers. We should examine this, as well as the issue of public private partnerships in such arrangements.

There has been much talk about the height of the port tunnel, and Senator Morrisey has raised the matter on a number of occasions. The previous Minister for Transport dealt with it clearly. When I spoke on the matter before, I said we needed a decision on it. I said if the Minister decided not to increase the height, the obvious consequential decision was to ban "super-cube" trucks from the city altogether.