John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

488. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a business (details supplied) will be a casualty of the MetroLink project. [22056/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. 

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including the development of a metro scheme (MetroLink), and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is the agency tasked with delivery of the MetroLink project for the NTA.

The recently published Project Ireland 2040 proposes to take forward a MetroLink scheme to run from Swords, via Dublin Airport to Dublin’s south city centre (operating in tunnel under the city centre) and onwards to Sandyford using the existing Luas Green Line to ensure that growth along this corridor can be accommodated.

The details of the MetroLink scheme (Swords to Sandyford) were the subject of a non-statutory public consultation process over the last month, in relation to the "Emerging Preferred Route" for the MetroLink Project. The Emerging Preferred Route is the proposal which has been identified as the likely optimal scheme from a technical design perspective, without the benefit of public consultation and input. It is not a finalised and selected scheme - the final layout will only be determined after consideration and evaluation of the issues raised during the consultation process.

Following receipt of all of the submissions, the issues and concerns identified will be carefully considered by TII and the NTA in determining the final scheme proposal and a report will be prepared on the consultation process.  It is envisaged that the public consultation report will be published later this year.

Noting the role of NTA and TII in the matter of MetroLink, I have referred your question to both bodies to provide information on the issue raised.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.