Tom Morrissey (Progressive Democrats)

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter, which relates to public transport integration. I wholeheartedly welcome last week's announcement of metro north, which will enhance the lives of the people of Swords and adjoining areas. If commuters who currently use the bus service transfer to the metro when it is completed in a few years, they will save 390 hours commuting per annum, which is the equivalent of ten weeks travel. Questions were raised about the cost of the new line last week but I prefer to focus on the benefits it will bring for hard pressed commuters. They will have ten weeks per annum to put to better use with their families or in leisure pursuits.

However, Irish Rail plans to build an interconnector between Heuston and Connolly Stations while one short year after the opening of the two Luas lines, it is planned to connect them. The proposed metro will terminate on a greenfield site outside Swords with a massive park and ride facility but an extension could be built to Donabate, which is only 3 km away, that would meet the northern line and provide access to the towns such as Lusk, Rush, Skerries and Balbriggan. This would increase the patronage on the line, which is what the metro will need to pay for itself. Patronage can be increased by integrating public transport. Access would be opened to all of north Dublin, including Swords, Dublin Airport, Dublin City University, the Mater Hospital and the new children's hospital. For example, currently people from north Dublin who wish to travel to the airport via public transport must take the DART to Howth Junction before travelling back to the airport. The public utilities I have listed would be accessible to everybody in north Dublin if a line three kilometres long was built between Swords and Donabate. It must be ensured the time savings achieved by everybody using the metro from Swords will be provided to people throughout north Dublin.

A park and ride facility will be provided so that people in the hinterland of Swords can drive to the metro station but we should think outside the box. While the new metro line will be fantastic, the service could be improved by linking it with existing modes of transport. I contacted the RPA about this issue and the officials correctly said their remit was defined by the proposals in Transport 21. That is why we must make representations to the Minister for Transport to establish how an extension could be provided. The Luas lines will be extended to Cherrywood, Citywest and the city centre. There will also be a Luas connection through the city centre. Iarnród Éireann has put forward a cogent case for building an interconnector, which is also included in Transport 21. While all those developments are about integration, the metro is not to be integrated with the suburban railway line for a stretch of 3 km. Accordingly, I ask the Minister of State to bring this matter to the attention of the Minister for Transport.