asked the Minister for Communications whether he has recently investigated the possibility of extending the DART system with a reinstated line on the old Harcourt Street-Bray route and with other lines serving the Tallaght and Blanchardstown areas on a basis of offering to private enterprise the concession to provide such services including the reinstatement and laying of a permanent route and the provision of the necessary installations; and, if not, whether he will now do so and inform the House of the results.
Written Answers. - Dart Transport System.
133.
The question of extending the DART system to serve areas to the west of Dublin city, and other areas, was raised some years ago and has been raised since, both in this House and outside it. No definite proposals have yet emerged. I am not aware of any interest on the part of private enterprise in providing infrastructure or services for any such extension.
The recently initiated Dublin Transport Authority Bill requires the proposed authority to make recommendations to the Ministers for Communications and the Environment, as appropriate, on the long term planning of road and rail transport in the Dublin area. Thus, any proposals to extend the DART system fall to be considered by the authority, in consultations with CIE and in the context of meeting the overall transport requirements of the Dublin area. The authority will be required to consider the public transport needs of the new towns to the west of Dublin city as a priority task as soon as it is established, hopefully in a matter of a few months.
I should point out that because of the enormous cost involved (some hundreds of millions of pounds) all possible options —and not only rail-based ones — will have to considered by the authority. As the Deputy will appreciate, the low-density character of the Dublin area militates against the inherently expensive rail-based option.