asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has any plans for the extension of the DART to Greystones, County Wicklow in the context of the National Development Plan 1989-1993 or otherwise.
14.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - DART Extension to Greystones.
11.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has included in the National Development Plan 1989-1993 the extension of the CIE DART railway to Greystones, County Wicklow.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 14 together.
In 1987 the Government decided that proposals for the extension of DART should not be proceeded with because of the considerable costs involved and the state of the public finances. It was also decided at the time that any proposals for further upgrading the rail services in the greater Dublin area should be based on diesel on existing lines. In that connection the provision of improved public transport services for the new suburbs to the west of the city was seen as a priority. This priority is reflected in the investment plans prepared by CIE at my request. These plans propose, on the rail side, the upgrading of the existing Dublin-Maynooth line and the provision of a new commuter service on the existing line from Clondalkin to the city.
Many transport proposals were submitted for consideration in the context of assistance from EC Structural Funds. Indeed, there were so many that it was obvious that all of them could not be accommodated within the resources likely to become available. In the circumstances it was necessary to place particular emphasis on using available resources to serve the areas of greatest need. Against that background and the priority already determined for improving public transport services in the suburbs to the west of the city, it was not found possible to provide in the national plan for any extension of DART.
Is the Minister aware that the present costing agreed by CIE is of the order of £3.5 million as distinct from the earlier figure of £7.5 million because no new train sets will be necessary? Is he also aware that it will be necessary to get a new diesel train set for the diesel shuttle to Greystones which would cost around £1 million — further reducing the cost of the extension of the DART to Greystones. In view of that perhaps he might reconsider his situation especially if EC Structural Funds are available?
The Government have taken a decision on it and, as I have said already, the priority is the development of the system to the west of Dublin city, which is badly in need of that development. The actual line that has been mentioned by the Deputy is already provided with a rail service and the Deputy is aware of that. What we are trying to do is to develop the area west of the city where facilities are not available. I would like to say that my predecessor even said he would not have taken the decision to put the DART in place if he had been in power at that particular time.
How can the Minister give a reply which excludes the extension of the four miles from Bray to Greystones which was in the original DART plan in the seventies? Because of the fact that so much of the money would be paid for by Brussels why could the Minister not have included it in the many proposals which were accepted at the local level of discussions and which were included in the plan at that level? This will be regarded as a great disappointment because it has never been indicated to the public representatives from the Wicklow area that this has been excluded from a plan which was supposed to contain all the necessary proposals which were always considered for the DART?
I accept what the Deputy is saying and I know he has an interest in it because it is his own area. Deputy Roche and others have been in touch with me for years about it.
And Deputy Hussey on Question Time.
Yes, but Deputy Hussey had to live with the following comment of the then Minister for Transport on 13 February 1985, at columns 2410-11 of the Official Report of that day:
The case for electrification of the Howth-Bray line was not a very well made case and I do not think it would have been a decision I would have made if I had been starting off from scratch.
You are not starting from scratch.
Let us hear the Minister.
I was proud to be a member of the Government that did start from scratch.
Arising from the Minister's reply in which he referred to the upgrading of the lines west of the city, may I ask the Minister for an indication of the likely timescale, cost and implications of the proposed upgrading of the line to Maynooth to which he referred? Will the Minister give an indication of the likely timescale, cost and implication of the proposed upgrading of the line to Maynooth?
There is a separate question on that.
(Interruptions.)
Why did the Minister choose to refer to the extension to Maynooth but is not now prepared to answer questions, having voluntarily brought this into the discussion?
Because I was asked why priority was not given to the Greystones line and I said we had to decide on a matter of priority. Surely the Deputy knows there is such a thing as priority. The Deputy was Minister for Finance at one time and he exercised priorities very strongly then.
Question No. 13 please.
I thank the Minister for that unintended compliment——
There is no need for argument in this matter.
May I ask the Minister——
A relevant question please, on Greystones. These questions are pertaining to the DART services.
I will write to the Deputy giving him full details and he will be pleased with them.
I am glad to hear that.
(Interruptions.)
Before 15 June?
We will make our own decisions and we will not be influenced by 15 June.