James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The Government has spent €36 million so far acquiring land along the two Luas lines. The final cost of building the two Luas lines was €750 million. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, recently announced the proposal to link the two existing Luas lines, at a cost of €70 million. This is a U-turn on a proposal which the Government earlier rejected. Last month, the Luas was found to have significant structural defects, less than two years after it opened. The defects pose future safety risks to passengers and will cost €10 million to repair. The NDP road-building programme is another fiasco. It is expected that only 50% of the programme will be completed this year.

We support the Bill and wish it a speedy passage through the Oireachtas. However, we will have much to say on Committee Stage. The bulk of what needs to be done is beyond the scope of these Houses and lies in judicial reform, greater resources where they are needed and a total change of attitude by Government, which needs to understand that simply passing laws is insufficient and we must give those with the responsibility to implement the laws the tools to help them do so.