Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the work he is doing to ensure the best integration of taxis into the Dublin transport network in advance of the development of the LUAS BXD project, including ensuring sufficient ranks are provided especially during construction stages. [57242/12]

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 Broombridge, now comes under the remit of the NTA.

The construction of the Luas Broombridge project (also referred to as the Luas BXD Project) was approved by An Bord Pleanála in August of this year and advance works will commence next year.

Every effort has been made to minimise the construction impacts of Luas BXD on all road users, including pedestrians, and on businesses in the city centre area. A Traffic Forum has been established for the project, comprising representatives of the RPA, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, Dublin Bus and the NTA.  This forum will play the key role developing the transport arrangements that will be put in place during the construction of the Luas Broombridge.

I understand from the NTA that as part of that project certain taxi ranks will require relocation along the path of the scheme, some on a temporary basis and others on a permanent basis. The Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for Luas Broombridge indicated which Taxi Rank spaces were affected (temporarily & permanently) by the project and identified possible replacement locations. A review is currently being carried out by the NTA to provide additional taxi rank spaces that also incorporates the replacement spaces considered in the EIS.