Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the status of Transport 21 and the amazing revelation yesterday regarding the Dublin interconnector or the Dublin underground DART section? The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, indicated that he had met representatives of Iarnród Éireann very recently and had a discussion with its board but found out for the first time yesterday afternoon on radio that Iarnród Éireann was delaying the project by two years. The Minister was not aware of a change in the timing of the most important infrastructural project for the Dublin region. The explanation given by Iarnród Éireann was a delay in the planning process for the interconnector project, with which I am involved. How can the planning process be responsible for the delay in the project, given that Iarnród Éireann has not yet submitted the planning application?