Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if he will report on progress on the metro rail transport system to Swords, County Dublin; and the various procedures and timescales involved. [21500/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Following an extensive public consultation process, the Minister for Transport announced the selected route for Metro North in October 2006. Work is now well underway by the Railway Procurement Agency on the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement and the documentation required to support an application to An Bord Pleanala for a Railway Order (the legal permission needed to build and operate Metro North).

Metro North will run underground from St. Stephen's Green to north of Ballymun before continuing on above ground to south of Dublin Airport. Here it will move underground beneath Dublin Airport before continuing above ground via Swords to Lissenhall. It will have underground stops at St. Stephen's Green, O'Connell Bridge, Parnell Square, Mater, Drumcondra, Griffith Avenue, Dublin City University, Ballymun and Dublin Airport. It will have above ground stops at Santry Demesne, Metropark, Fosterstown, Swords, Seatown and Lissenhall. RPA are currently engaged in ongoing consultation with residents and other stakeholders related to design options for Metro North along its entire route.

On 13th September 2007 the RPA announced the outcome of the first stage of the procurement process for Metro North. This involved the selection of those candidates who have been prequalified for the tender stage of the project. In all, 14 candidates have passed the pre-qualifying stage – 4 infrastructure providers, 5 rolling stock providers and 5 operators. Qualified candidates have until 2 November to form bidding groups and the tender documentation will be issued to those groups by the RPA early in 2008. The RPA now expect to commence construction work on Metro North in 2009, subject to having an enforceable Railway Order in place.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine his views on the provision of a metro west spur to serve Tyrrelstown, Damastown and Clonee/Ongar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21646/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Transport 21 includes provision for Metro West, linking Tallaght, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown to Metro North. Following a detailed public consultation exercise which involved the consideration of two possible route options, the Board of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) chose a preferred route alignment for Metro West which was announced on 5th July last. The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is progressing this project, which is on target for completion in 2014.

While Transport 21 involves a very large commitment of financial resources, those resources are also finite. It has therefore been necessary to prioritise the investments to be made over the ten year period. There is no financial provision in Transport 21 for the construction of a spur from Metro West to serve the areas mentioned in the Deputy's question. However, Transport 21 does include provision for a spur off the Maynooth suburban rail line to Navan. The first phase of this project will be to construct a twin track railway line from Clonsilla Station to the planned M3 Interchange at Pace linking into the city centre at the new Docklands Station. Two new stations are proposed along the route at Dunboyne and a major Park and Ride facility at Pace. Provision is also being made for a third station at Hansfield, which is to be developed as a Strategic Development Zone.

The route will be convenient for commuters from the Tyrrelstown, Damastown and Clonee/ Ongar areas, with ample parking spaces to be provided at all sites, particularly the Pace/M3 Interchange site.