Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has met Irish Rail since it announced the deferral of the rail interconnector until 2018 at the earliest; the outcome of these talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22834/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1st December 2009, the development of the DART Underground project is a matter which comes under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA).

DART Underground and Metro North are the Government's key priority projects for public transport investment in the period ahead.

Officials from my Department and the NTA hold monthly monitoring meetings.

Following a request from my Department, the NTA arranged for a presentation by the DART Underground team from Irish Rail to coincide with the monthly meeting on 25 May 2010.

Irish Rail has advised that the change in the DART Underground timetable is driven by practical and technical considerations primarily resulting from – · consideration that the railway order application may take longer than originally planned. This is based on the experience of Metro North. · construction and testing are now estimated to take longer than earlier projected. This includes allowing for the extension of the project from Heuston to Inchicore and a decision to use 2 tunnel boring machines instead of 4. This change to fewer tunnel boring machines lessens the environmental impact of the project and reduces costs considerably.

Irish Rail also advise that these are conservative estimates on timeframe and it is possible that the PPP company may make substantial improvements to this programme by, for example, using innovative techniques. It may also be possible that An Bord Pleanála can reduce the time taken to consider the railway order application, having regard to its experience on Metro North.

The Government remains committed to the earliest possible start up date and the speediest possible delivery of this project and will continue to pursue all available opportunities to shorten the delivery timescale.

As I have said previously, I am not in a position to give any information in relation to the budget for this project, or the nature or duration of the payment options, in advance of the completion of the PPP process. The publication of such commercially sensitive information prior to the completion of the competitive procurement process would prejudice the State's capacity to derive maximum value for money in respect of this project.