Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Transport if, as part of Transport 21, consideration is being given to providing a Luas line or a metro link to the rapidly expanding Finglas area including Finglas village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8993/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Finglas area has been given consideration in the provision of Luas and metro links contained in Transport 21. The Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, is preparing a detailed implementation plan for the metro north line. This includes the initial public consultation on route options, which was launched on 28 February 2006. The RPA has carried out a feasibility study and a preliminary environmental assessment of possible alignments for metro north. This study identified three broad corridor options, including the west route option through the Finglas area.

The west route starts at St. Stephen's Green, continues through the city centre with possible stops at Tara Street and the Rotunda Hospital, travelling through Broadstone, Liffey Junction, Finglas, Finglas North, turning east to the airport, and on to Swords, Swords Estuary and the terminus at Lissenhall.

The final route and location of stops will be defined through the public consultation and statutory approval process. However the RPA's evaluation to date indicates that the central route via Ballymun is strongest from a number of points of view, including construction feasibility, fulfilling transport needs and capital cost. Added to this the RPA will also give consideration to an alignment through the Finglas area in the proposed routes for metro west. This project, which is also included for funding under Transport 21, is an orbital line from Tallaght via Liffey Valley, Blanchardstown to Ballymun. The detailed planning work, public consultation and the statutory approval process will determine the precise route that metro west will take.

Transport 21 also contains a Luas line from the city centre via Broadstone to Liffey junction in Cabra. The Dublin Transportation Office's A Platform for Change provides for a continuation of this line via Finglas to Sillogue. Transport 21 has a provision for funding for a feasibility study on extending the Luas line from Liffey Junction via Finglas to Sillogue. However, funding to bring this proposal to construction is not included in Transport 21.