Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an issue in Dublin that I have raised on several occasions previously in the House. When the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, was in the House, I referred to the DART underground project. He said it was a cornerstone of traffic management and public transport services within the city. I made him aware of several planning applications along the DART underground line which obviously he ignored. I raised the issue with the National Transport Authority. Unfortunately, I was again ignored.I raised it with Dublin City Council and now we see live planning applications on the line in question that will prevent the construction of the DART underground. I am firmly of the belief that Dublin is being neglected. There is no long-term planning being done by the Minister, Deputy Ross, in respect of it. He has cancelled new greenways and new cycle routes and now, through his neglect, we will possibly lose the major infrastructure proposal that is the DART underground project. The Minister must come before the House at the earliest opportunity in order to answer Senators questions and to discuss the specific needs of the greater Dublin area in the context of public transport, cycleways, greenways and the protection of pedestrians on our streets.