Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would also like to raise the matter just mentioned by Senator Ardagh, that of the decision made today in respect of the MetroLink project. It appears that the National Transport Authority is now saying that the absorption of the Luas green line into the metro system will not be necessary for another 20 years, despite the fact that it was being proposed that it be commenced in the next three or four years.That is the first thing. The second thing, as Senator Ardagh said, is that the inevitable implication of bringing it to Charlemont will be that another Luas-type service will not be provided to serve areas of south Dublin like Terenure, Lucan, St. Vincent's Hospital, UCD and Stillorgan. This plan is being proceeded with on a kind of autopilot basis. We are not dealing with a postponement of the foolish plan to absorb the green line into the metro system. We are dealing with a carefully worked out scheme. All the preparatory work for it will be done. I suggest that as soon as local elections and things like that are out of the way, there will be a rethink and it will be decided that it will go ahead and this money will be spent in this foolish way. I remind the House that this whole project was never considered in advance by an Oireachtas committee. Approximately €170 million was spent on its planning. I do not know how much money was spent on the southern spur, which is now to be abandoned or shelved, but it must have been a significant amount of money.

This is an example of how planning in this country goes completely wrong. I live right beside the Luas. I have property there. I know that the people who live alongside it do not want it to be absorbed into a metro system. It has been suggested that future traffic requirements will make it essential for it to be incorporated into a metro system. All I will say is that I arranged to get information from the NTA on the current capacity of the Luas system. At the moment, Luas carriages are packed to the gills at rush hour. It transpires that a great number of additional 55 m tram sets, which would have the capacity to increase numbers travelling on the Luas in the short run, are on order. If the other project had been proceeded with, God only knows what would have happened to the additional tram sets that have been ordered. The point I am making with regard to decisions which are being made about Dublin applies to BusConnects, for example. Rathmines Road is to be made a one-way route, in effect. No consideration has been given to the implications of these decisions for traffic in Dublin. Decisions are being made by a group of people who are not accountable to the Irish people. The Minister, Deputy Ross, said he rejects this part of the proposal and the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has said he rejects that part of the proposal. Who is in charge of this country? Who is spending this €4 billion? Who accepts responsibility for all this? A group of people who are not elected by anybody comes up with these plans before collapsing or altering them. This is what is happening.