asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the estimated number of persons using the DART system in Dublin; if any estimate has been done of the savings arising from the greater use of DART in terms of reduced traffic congestion and travelling time saved by commuters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - DART System.
16.
In 1987 the DART system was used by approximately 15.367 million passengers. On the basis of experience for the early part of 1988, Iarnród Éireann expect carryings for the full year to be about 16.2 million.
I am informed by the company that a survey carried out in 1986 showed that approximately 1,500 fewer cars were entering the city centre in the morning peak period as a result of DART. The survey also indicated that the average time saving for those using the DART system was 8 minutes per passenger journey.
I should like to see many more motorists leaving their cars at home and availing of the public transport services, rail and road, to improve the traffic environment in the city and its environs particularly during the peak periods.
Does the Minister agree that in view of the very good results achieved by Iarnród Éireann in developing the DART that there is a real need for him to reconsider his decision of October 1987 with regard to the non-development of the DART system in the rest of Dublin? Has he any proposals in that regard?
With my hand on my heart I can say I would love to be in a position to apply the DART system elsewhere, particularly in the areas that this House and all the citizenry know about. It is simply a question of not having any money to do so. Last October's decisions were taken in the light of that when we told CIE to formulate their plans on the basis of the use of diesel on existing rail tracks and road services.
How does the Minister reconcile that with the fact that Dublin City Council are proposing to spend an estimated £20.5 million per kilometre to develop and complete the inner tangent road? Is it not an option to curtail road building and invest in public rail transport? Alternatively, could the Minister tell us if moneys are available through the EC funds for this kind of development?
The moneys mentioned by the Deputy would be peanuts compared with the cost of another series of DART projects in the city. I was a member of the Government that decided on the DART project and there was great discussion and debate about it at the time. We got very little encouragement from any source but it was the right thing to do and it is serving its purpose. I would love to be in a position to extend this system, but I am not and I cannot.
In view of the Minister's directive to CIE in October last to concentrate primarily on the development of the bus services, how can he allow CIE to proceed with this decision to curtail the city services by upwards of 20 per cent as proposed last week?
I understand that what the Deputy is referring to is in the context of the viability plan for CIE. CIE have outlined this plan involving the operation of OPO buses. It is in the context of their not being able to achieve that plan that they are talking about the discontinuance of services.
We have strayed too much from the DART system which is the subject matter of the question.
Can the Minister tell us the subsidy cost per journey for the 15.3 million passengers on the DART last year?
I cannot do that although I did see at some stage what each passenger cost. In fairness, it must be said that the capital cost, interest rates and so on were being charged to that account. What Deputy McCartan mentioned a moment ago is relevant in that the cost of the permanent way is not taken into account when comparisons are being made between the cost of travelling on DART and travelling by bus so that the comparisons are not appropriate.
Is the Minister satisfied with the projections of Iarnród Éireann that at the end of this year the DART will become one of the most unique in the world in that it will be working on a break even operational cost basis? Is the Minister happy that that is the target that will be reached?
I know that that is and should be the objective. During the course of discussions in Government when the first decision was taken, that was the prime objective. In the context of European railways I would not say we are unique in aiming at an objective of having one that pays its way or breaks even in Europe.
We now come to deal with questions nominated for priority.