Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I am glad to contribute to the debate. I thank the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, and his Minister of State, Deputy Callely, for attending the debate. I also thank Mr. Maurice Treacy, an official of the Department, for his attendance. We sometimes forget the civil servants who accompany Ministers to the House. They do the hard work and have great experience.

Apart from my strong interest in public transport, my contribution has another purpose. As my comments on a certain issue last Thursday may not have been sufficiently clear, I wish to clarify it for the record. Recently, in the other House, the leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Rabbitte, stated that I had squandered millions of euro when we were forced to return European funds as a result of changing our plans as regards the Luas system. This is untrue and I thank Mr. Treacy from the Department for a note he sent me on the issue. I will read out the note before sending it to Deputy Rabbitte, which should keep him tranquillised for a while. The note states:

Senator Mary O'Rourke

Leader of the House

Your request for details of reallocation of EU funds that had been originally associated with the Luas project refers.

Arising from the reallocation of EU funding for Luas, several new projects were approved. The new projects were: track and signalling work on the Maynooth line; Maynooth line stations; platform extensions; track renewal on the Connolly-Mullingar line; purchase of 16 additional DART cars; purchase of 20 Diesel railcars; and purchase of buses, including 50 double-deck buses, 7 trial buses and 20 buses accessible to disabled people.

The specific funding details are not to hand at present [they are in a store in Finglas] but can be obtained if required.

Maurice Treacy

Public Transport Division

9 November 2004.

Last week was not the first occasion on which Deputy Rabbitte made such an untrue claim. If I recall correctly, Mr. John Fearon, a civil servant, went to Brussels and negotiated the reallocation of the funds in question. This was the first time permission was given to fund bus services using European moneys, not one punt of which was lost to Ireland. When we realised the changes in plans regarding the Luas project could give rise to the funding being returned, we insisted that we should be allowed to keep it, which is what transpired. I am pleased to clarify the matter in the House and thank the Acting Chairman for allowing me to do so.

I am delighted the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, will have statutory responsibility for traffic in the Dublin area. We have had major developments in the area of transport. Listening to them brought to mind the day on which I sought £500 million for track renewal. Without this funding our trains would not run and our railway stations would be closed. Of all the measures I took, securing funding for track renewal gave me the greatest satisfaction because it resulted in trains operating to the highest safety standards. This was an excellent investment by the Government.

We had to make a tough case for funding track renewal over two sessions. Following an unfortunate rail accident in Knockcroghery, when a fish plate fractured leaving two people injured, I visited the site of the incident and saw the condition of the line. I then informed the Cabinet that we could no longer run trains. One's first responsibility is safety, from which everything else follows. I told the Cabinet I could not vouch for the safety of the rail tracks. We obtained the funding and rectified the problem. Rail services and connections are essential, particularly in rural areas where they are a lifeline.

Having hated it until the day before the trams ran, it is amazing that everybody now loves the Luas system. Overnight, we found that people who castigated and metaphorically threw stones at me started to love the Luas system, which was an amazing development. I constantly receive letters from people informing me that, having used the service, they find it wonderful and think I am great. I do not know what to make of Tom McGurk's description of me on RTE as "Mama Luas". Overnight, the sentiment towards Luas changed from hatred to love.

Every time I see a tram on Cuffe Street or pass Dr. Steevens's Hospital on James's Street, I congratulate myself and the Department on holding our nerve. It was amazing that the Luas and I changed from objects of hate to objects of delight. This demonstrates that one must hold one's nerve on major infrastructural projects. To paraphrase the poet, Robert Frost, we have miles to go before we sleep. The Government has much to do.

Senator Ross referred to fly-overs, the Tube and other infrastructure in London. Two weekends ago I visited Paris — it was not a junket but paid at my own expense — and had a lovely time. The city's underground system has been operating for 150 years. Most capital cities have underground systems.

I wish the Minister for Transport and his Minister of State success in their jobs. Over the past two years, we tried to arrange debates on public transport in the House but found it rather difficult. I believe we are entering a new golden era following my golden era as Minister for Public Enterprise.

I am happy to clarify for Deputy Rabbitte what happened to the funding which he stated was squandered and lost to Ireland. Every time he takes a seat on a bus, enters Maynooth railway station or travels by train to Mullingar, I hope he will think of the money which was not lost but well spent. The Deputy signed an accord in Mullingar with another individual but there is no sign of it.