asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether it is proposed to provide rail commuter stations to serve the north west Dublin area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Rail Commuter Stations.
45.
The Foras Forbartha Report on Transportation in Dublin recommended, inter alia, that suburban rail passenger services should be opened as far as Blanchardstown and Clondalkin, but did not envisage these developments until the 1980s in accordance with the anticipated rate of development of the areas. The various recommendations in the Foras Forbartha report are under examination in the Departments concerned.
CIE are maintaining close co-operation with Dublin Corporation to ensure that proposals for public transport for the Dublin north-west area can be effectively integrated with the corporation's overall plan for the area. The extension of suburban rail services to the north-west Dublin area would not be practicable at present.
Would the Minister agree that the introduction of the proposed commuter service in 1980 will be rather late in the day? Would he not agree to use his good offices now to have it introduced at an earlier date?
An Foras Forbartha were asked to have a look at the whole question of transport in the greater Dublin area and they came up with a number of recommendations which they spaced at various intervals and the year 1989 was the time they conceived this line would be opened. They also proposed a new Liffey Bridge and a number of other things. I do not know about 1989. It is 15 years away and a great many things could happen in the interim which would show that such a line was needed much earlier than that.
Is the Minister aware that the line already exists? It is only a matter of putting the service on it. The roads are overcrowded and people cannot travel on them. The line exists. It is not a matter of constructing a new line at all.
I know, but this is what An Foras Forbartha recommended and until the corporation and CIE and, in all probability, the Department of Local Government finish their discussions I could not say here that I would bring it forward much more than that.
Surely the Minister is aware that Blanchardstown is envisaged as a city of approximately 125,000 people in the Dublin County Council development plan. Is the Minister not aware that the Foras Forbartha report envisaged road construction, which is fine on paper but not feasible practically because of the vast amount of money involved in both the acquisition of the land and the construction of the road? Judging by the position at the moment, the time is not far distant when traffic will just stop and never get going again. Will the Minister take some action to provide this commuter service?
I must advise the House that the time allowed for questions has expired. Perhaps the House might agree to take the last remaining question to the Minister for Transport and Power.
I understood the agreement was that we would finish questions and then resume on Public Works and Buildings.
We will take Question No. 46 but, before we do so, will the Minister reply to the supplementaries on No. 45?
The matter of road construction is something for the Department of Local Government in conjunction with Dublin County Council and Dublin Corporation. I am not sure where the breakpoint comes in that. Until there is a full study of the whole traffic situation in the Dublin area—I agree with the Deputy it is reaching an acute stage—to make a decision in one single sector without relating to the whole area could in the long run be the wrong thing to do.