Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to echo what was stated earlier about the need to take a coherent approach to transport issues, especially in the city of Dublin. The National Transport Authority is currently sponsoring the excavation of a geological survey in Ely Place, Hume Street, in the middle of the road. Some Members may have seen the stockade that has been built there to explore the subsoil structure to finish out the plans for the MetroLink.The Taoiseach has stated on the record that he is open to the MetroLink's southern leg being diverted either easterly towards Stillorgan serving St. Vincent's Hospital, UCD and so on, or westerly to serve Churchtown, Rathgar and Terenure which is an area that has very little public transport and the roads going to it are congested. It struck me that he says in public that he is open to considering these proposals while, at the same time, the work goes on on the project to create the circumstances where the Luas green line will be cannibalised for part of its length and turned into the southern link of the metro. The work continues unabated and unauthorised. Apparently, it is not Government policy that this should be done because the Taoiseach says he is open to other solutions but huge sums are being spent on building, excavating and exploring a particular route to which the Government is not yet committed.