Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is not my intention or that of the residents' groups to put the Minister in an awkward position, but the residents in Ranelagh believe the consultation process was deeply unfair. As I said earlier, others had access to the transport committee, to the National Transport Authority and to senior Ministers. This is not what happened on the southside of the city. When we requested a two-week extension to the public consultation we were informed that it would not be extended because of a specific request from residents on the northside that it should close on time.

The opportunities for people to express their views were very limited. That is why I am asking the Minister to find time in his diary to meet the residents' representatives. Above all there have been a number of announcements since the closure of the public consultation. We have heard of a temporary inconvenience of five or six years during the building of the MetroLink to Home Farm Football Club and certain GAA pitches. I welcome that they can be facilitated as they should be.

However, we have no information on whether the single-bore tunnel will affect the southside, whether it can be extended beyond Milltown or whether the residents' views will be taken on board. That is why I am so insistent that they should have an opportunity now to engage with departmental officials on the matter. They have some extremely good ideas. The residents know very well the impact needs to be highlighted; they went through this procedure with the Luas green line. They just want their views taken on board. They do not want their communities divided in half. They want equality. They want to be treated in the same way as every other citizen in Dublin is treated which they have not been up to now. They need to talk to the decision makers, to whom other residents in this city seemingly have access but the residents in Ranelagh do not.

As I said earlier, I ask the Minister to meet the residents' representatives. I ask him to ensure the National Transport Authority also meet the residents' representatives. We need to seriously look at taking the single-bore tunnel underground much further out into the suburbs. I know the areas involved and they need good public transport. The MetroLink opens up lands past Dublin Airport for the construction of residential units that we badly need. We know of the planning applications for a number of units to be built in Cherrywood. We know of the need for access. However, the impact this will have in the Ranelagh and Rathmines area needs to be taken on board.

I thank the Minister for attending today.