Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has met with the Railway Procurement Agency, National Roads Authority and other bodies including taxi representatives in order to ensure that the development of the LUAS link up is as integrated with other methods of transport in Dublin as possible [16856/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) on 1st December 2009, the provision of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as LUAS BXD, now comes under the remit of the NTA.

There has been extensive engagement between the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) and both Dublin City Council (DCC) and Dublin Bus aimed at minimising the construction impacts of Luas BXD on all road users, including pedestrians, and on businesses in the city centre area. The consultation between RPA/DCC/Dublin Bus, which now also includes the NTA, on these important issues continues and will be maintained throughout the construction of Luas BXD.

In addition, the RPA has discussed the plans for Luas BXD with taxi representatives on many occasions. Proposals to accommodate taxis and taxi ranks were contained in the RPA's application for a railway order for this project to An Bord Pleanála and all interested parties had an opportunity to make submissions to An Bord and attend the oral hearing in May of last year.

Subject to the grant of a railway order, these engagements will intensify both prior to and during construction of the project and I will personally take a keen interest in ensuring that all parties work together to ensure that disruption is minimised and Dublin remains open for business.