Joe O'Toole (Independent)

It is of great importance to take on those people who would wish to push us back into the dark ages. If one considers the points expressed by the United States at the G20 and G8 meetings over the weekend on the importance of maintaining confidence in building and investment projects, this proposal is good in all sorts of ways. Socially, it is highly attractive for the people of Ireland and for the people of the capital in particular. Commercially, it is highly attractive to those who run businesses and from an infrastructural prospective, it is essential. Moreover, Members on all sides agree on this point and Garret FitzGerald once devoted an entire television programme to explaining the daftness of not connecting the two Luas lines during their original construction. Moreover, my colleague, Senator Norris, has made this point many times in this House.

This is not a political issue and Members should stand together to make the point that this is an investment that also will have employment opportunities. Moreover, it is commercially clever enough, in that it is a public private partnership and the Government will not be obliged to put its hands in this pocket until considerably later. These are attractive measures that Members should welcome and this point should be conveyed to the Minister. While Members may have difficulties with aspects of the details of the project, as a general principle this needs to be done, should have been done previously and certainly it is highly welcome that the Government now has committed itself to so doing.