Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

The Minister indicated that €1.6 billion is committed to water services investment between 2012 and 2016. Under the greater Dublin strategic drainage scheme, it is envisaged that a monster sewage treatment plant will be constructed in north County Dublin, which is not required, at a cost of between €2.3 billion and €2.7 billion. I urge the Minister to re-evaluate that project, which does not stack up in terms of value for money. Localised plants are the way forward rather than a massive Ringsend II. I hope the issue has been raised at Cabinet by my constituency colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly.

As Senator Hayden said, people are gravely disappointed at the decision not to proceed with metro north, in respect of which firm commitments were given by the Government. The project would create 6,000 direct construction jobs and 37,000 jobs thereafter. In my view, the project has been cancelled rather than deferred, despite the commitment given by the Minister for Health before the election. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, gave a similar commitment when he told people in Swords that it was his number one priority and stated his "strong support" for the project in February 2011. The people of Dublin North do not believe him when he says the project is merely deferred.

I acknowledge the economic constraints under which the Government is operating, but many of the decisions that were taken - not all but many of them, particularly in the case of the metro north project - seem to neglect the needs of north Dublin. The decision to proceed with the connection of the Luas lines will see construction work taking place on the north side of the city for the benefit of people on the south side. Will the Minister confirm that the metro north project, on which vast sums have already been spent, will be reviewed in 2015? It will return money to the Exchequer and we could have 260 jobs immediately if the enabling works were allowed to proceed. The cancellation of the project is a grave disappointment to the people of my constituency.