Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine the reason for the ongoing delays in the commencement of the LUAS line to join the two existing lines; if he will intervene to ensure a speedy decision on the precise route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22052/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Board of the RPA decided earlier this year on a preferred route option for the cross-city Luas line. Following extensive consultation with key stakeholders and the public, the RPA are now planning detailed design work on the project based on this option. Dublin City Council are undertaking a traffic modelling exercise as part of their examination of revised traffic management arrangements in the city, which will be required not only for the delivery of the cross-city Luas line but also Metro North.

In this context, the RPA is also considering ways of streamlining and combining works on the cross-city Luas Line and the construction of Metro North in order to minimise disruption to the City Centre.

Following completion of design work, consideration of combining work on both projects, 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.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if the feasibility study for the Rathfarnham LUAS which was promised for commencement in April 2007 is complete; the results of the feasibility study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22053/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Transport 21 includes funding for feasibility studies on those elements of the strategy "A Platform for Change" which are not included in Transport 21. Work is currently under way on the feasibility study for the Rathfarnham Luas and I understand from the RPA that this study will take a number of months to complete.

While Transport 21 involves a very large commitment of financial resources, those resources are also finite and it has therefore been necessary to prioritise the investments to be made over the period of the programme up to 2015. There is no financial provision in Transport 21 for the construction of a Luas line to serve the Rathfarnham area.