Vol. 403 No. 5
5 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has considered the report prepared by the Dublin City Centre Business Association, Transport for Dublin in the 21st century, which argues for an immediate investment, in a light mass transport system to serve commuters, shoppers, residents and visitors; and if he will outline the Government's response to the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
13 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the input his Department will have into the work of the Dublin Transport Review Group, in view of their overall responsibility for public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has yet received the report of the inter-Departmental committee who are considering the possible reopening in some form of the old Harcourt Street rail line; if the report will be published; if he has indicated any preference in relation to the use of the line; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 13 and 38 together.
The report prepared by the Dublin City Centre Business Association is being considered by the working group which I set up to assess and report on the feasibility of rail and busway options for the former Harcourt Street railway line and the Tallaght area. I expect to receive the report of the working group shortly. I would like an opportunity to study the report before commenting in detail on the possible options. It is already clear however that a bus option utilising the existing Harcourt Street alignment and involving links to Tallaght is the more attractive proposition, having regard to the limited level of resources likely to be available for public transport infrastructure development.
My Department are represented on the Dublin Transportation Review Group and are actively involved in the work of the group. CIE are also represented on the group. I can assure the Deputy that the importance of cost-effective and efficient public transport services is being fully taken into account by the group in the course of their work. The report prepared by the Dublin City Centre Business Association is also being considered by this group.
The Minister may be aware of the concerns of the group who produced this fine report, the Dublin City Centre Business Association, one of which is that Dublin city is being choked to death. Is the Minister aware that unless immediate action is taken, Dublin city will fall into a lengthy period of economic decline as a result of the chaotic transportation system? The association feel that a light rail rapid transport system is what is urgently needed. Is the Minister aware that Dublin City Council have discovered that there is negative buoyancy in valuations in Dublin city, that the rateable value of property in Dublin city is declining?
I am very impressed.
The Minister did not know that. This is the reason that groups——
I think Deputy Byrne has made his point effectively. A long series of questions of this kind is not in order.
I am young enough to be intrigued by the phrase "negative buoyancy". The report I received from the Dublin City Centre Business Association is an excellent one. They dealt not only with public transport but also with the administrative structure behind it, the need for a data base, the need for investment in the system, improvement in the standard of taxis and a whole range of other proposals which they felt would bring the city centre of Dublin back to life. The various Departments to whom the report has been sent are considering those proposals.
I know the amount of traffic in the city at present is unacceptable. On the other hand it demonstrates that economic activity in the city is perhaps not as poor as the Deputy suggests. It is certainly not a desert area but is active, thriving and lively. What I am anxious to do within the resources available to me is to provide a practical transport system, but my resources are very limited. I am considering — I know the Deputy has views on this — the potential for private investment in the transport system. State funds are simply not available, nor are European funds, to build the kind of glamorous 21st century transport systems that are being proposed at present. We would be talking of hundreds of millions of pounds, which the Exchequer simply does not have. I do not think we need such a glamorous system immediately. There is a question down from Deputy Mitchell, which I will deal with later, about an underground system. We are not at that stage of public transport in this country. We have to work within our resources and whatever resources I can raise from the private sector. I am considering options as to how to raise those funds and invest in a bus-based system which is the most practical system at this stage.
Would the Minister not agree that a bus-based system would not be attractive to the commuter? The reason there are so many cars entering the inner city is that there has been a lack of support for public transport by bus? The Dublin City Centre Business Association are quite right in arguing that in order for the city centre to survive, given the growing competition from places like The Square in Tallaght, we must have an attractive public transport network to bring the commuters into the inner city. The association argue most strongly — this is the international trend——
We cannot debate the matter now, Deputy. We should have relevant, succinct questions. I am going on to other questions shortly.
Given that you are taking three questions together and they are fairly wide-ranging——
I am taking one priority question now, Deputy, and no more.
Does the Minister recognise the need for a balanced transportation system? His colleague, the Minister for the Environment, who has control over the road building budget is winning the battle at Cabinet over the Department of Tourism and Transport, which is charged with public transportation in the city.
I have very definite plans to improve the transport system of the city. First, I am considering busways along dedicated bus routes, for example, from Tallaght to the Harcourt line. If I can organise the funding — I am working on that — it is possible to have busways linking Tallaght with Harcourt Street and Leopardstown with Harcourt Street. The busway system would not compete directly with traffic. Secondly, when we get EC clearance, we will be investing up to £20 million on the Clondalkin railway line, a rail link which will have eight new stations. That line will be linked to Tallaght by bus from Clondalkin. We will put four new stations on the Maynooth route which will link with the suburban area there. I have not ruled out the light railway transport system. I will sit down with the Deputy or his party and day and work out exactly how we might fund such a glamorous project. The Deputy should be under no illusions about investment in public transport.
If you look at the question of Dublin Airport you might have some chance.
The CIE deficit this year is well over £100 million. That is nearly one-third of the current budget deficit for the entire State and is £2 million a week. If anyone says the taxpayers are not putting money into public transport, it does not stand up.
A Cheann Comhairle, as we still have some time——
We have devoted almost the total time available to priority questions to two questions. I hope that is not setting a precedent.
May I just come back to the subsidy the Minister was talking about?
A very brief question, Deputy.
The Minister is alleging that the Government are giving an adequate subvention to CIE. Would he not agree that the subvention to CIE, and particularly to Dublin Bus, is one of the lowest in Europe? Is the Minister not aware of the decision by CIE and Dublin City Council, through their draft development plan proposals, to abandon the bus route——
I asked for brevity and I expect brevity. The time for priority questions is now exhausted.
Perhaps the Minister will answer the points I have just made?
If the Minister wishes to answer he may do so very briefly.
I do not begrudge the subsidy to CIE as we have to keep the system moving. However, we must all realise the big money involved, it is £2 million per week or £100 million per year. Given the current budget deficit, we are probably talking about one-third of it. When we demand more investment in public transport we must remember that a great deal of money has already been put into it. I have laid out definite plans, which will take more money, and I will see how I will organise the company on a practical basis.
We now come to deal with other questions.
