Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has received costings from the Railway Procurement Agency for the undergrounding for the proposed Metro north from the city centre to past Ballymun; if not, the way the proposed method of construction was arrived at; and if he will seek such a costing from the RPA. [41662/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Railway Procurement Agency is currently looking at a number of options and is engaged in consultation with stakeholders on the best design solution for Ballymun. No decision has yet been made on the proposed method of construction.

Based on figures published by the World Bank, I am advised that the cost of an underground metro is five to six times the cost of an at-grade metro. The additional costs would mainly be in the construction of deep underground stations — which can cost considerably more than an at-grade station. Running underground through Ballymun would require two (DCU and Ballymun) additional deep underground stations.

In addition to the cost implications, the RPA's preference for locating as much as possible of the line overground is based on sound transportation and planning grounds.

The success of Luas has demonstrated that the public is attracted to accessible public transport. Going underground, or even elevated, decreases the accessibility of the system. Metro only goes underground in areas where there is simply no room at street level to accommodate it. It is standard practice around the world to bring metros above ground wherever possible. Going underground also adds to the construction timetable and brings a higher level of construction risk associated with tunnelling.