Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in respect of any proposals to extend a metro or the Luas to Dublin Airport, the plans will incorporate an extension to Swords, County Dublin. [12458/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The programme for Government contains a specific commitment to develop a metro for Dublin with a link to Dublin Airport. The Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business case for a metro from the city centre to Dublin Airport while Iarnród Eireann submitted proposals last July for an integrated rail network in the greater Dublin area. While the RPA has suggested a number of routes for the proposed metro, a final decision will be subject to a Government decision on the project and subsequently to the findings of a public inquiry as part of the statutory approval process. A further link from the airport to Swords is also being examined by the RPA.

In the light of the announcement by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement of agreement in principle to a ten-year capital investment envelope for transport, work has commenced in my Department on a ten-year transport investment plan. The draft framework takes account of the work already done on investment priorities under the current capital envelope to end 2009 and of the various strategic studies already completed by my Department and its agencies. The studies include A Platform for Change, the Strategic Rail Review and the National Road Needs Study. More specifically, my Department has engaged with Córas Iompair Éireann, the Railway Procurement Agency, the National Roads Authority and the Dublin Transportation Office to identify the broad direction and priorities under the ten-year investment framework. My Department has also consulted with other Departments, primarily through the interdepartmental team of officials which supports the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, housing and public private partnerships.

A draft of the ten-year transport plan is under consideration by the Cabinet committee. I will bring proposals to Government in due course once the Cabinet committee has concluded its work.