John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason funding has not been provided for the linking of the two city centre Luas lines in his Department's 2007 Estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12741/07]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Transport his proposed timetable for the linking of the two existing LUAS lines in Dublin City centre; and if he has a preferred routing for such a connection. [12716/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 143 together.

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) began a public consultation on five potential routes, A to E, for connecting the two existing Luas lines in November 2005. During public consultation a new option, F, was identified.

Options A and F emerged as the better options and RPA launched a second phase of public consultation in January 2007 involving an open-day, display days, newspaper notices and distribution of newsletters focusing on the selection of the best of these two route options.

I also understand that the RPA engaged in dialogue with Dublin City Council, Dublin Bus and the Dublin Transportation Office in relation to the implications of the potential routes for bus services and other road users. Arising from these discussions, Dublin City Council and the Dublin Transportation Office recommended that a traffic management plan for the city centre be initiated to facilitate light rail, bus and metro development. Dublin City Council will undertake the necessary traffic modelling and is committed to delivery of early results from this work, by Autumn of this year.

The Board of the RPA recently decided that its preferred route option for the cross-city Luas line is option F. The RPA now plan to commence detailed design work on the project based on this option. This will take account of the results of the City Council's traffic modelling results as they become available. Following completion of this design work, and subject to a satisfactory outcome to the city centre traffic management planning work, the RPA will submit a Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála. The construction timescale will be dependent on the outcome of this statutory approval process.

A second stage of this project will extend the line to Liffey Junction via Grangegorman and Broadstone. The selection of an emerging preferred route for the cross-city link will facilitate the commencement of work on the route selection for the onward extension to Liffey Junction. Subject to an enforceable Railway Order, the scheduled completion date for the overall project is 2012.

It is untrue to say that funding has not been provided for the linking of the Luas lines in the 2007 Estimates. My Department has allocated €173m towards the advancement of all Luas and Metro projects, including funding for the continuing planning and design work on the cross-city link.