Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 6

Written Answers. - Dublin Light Rail System.

Tom Kitt

Question:

182 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications when the necessary funding will be provided for the provision of a light rail system on the former Harcourt Street railway line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5416/95]

Tony Gregory

Question:

187 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the route alignments for the Dublin city light rail proposals; and the timescale for their implementation, including a timescale for the section of the Tallaght route linking Heuston Station to O'Connell Street via Collins Barracks, Smithfield, Capel Street and Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1. [5574/95]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

I propose to taken Questions Nos. 182 and 187 together.

The basic light rail network recommended by the Dublin Transportation Initiative is for lines to Tallaght, Cabinteely via the Harcourt Street line and Ballymun.

Under the DTI it is envisaged that these lines will join together to form a single light rail network permitting cross-city operations and will serve both north and south sides of the city centre with a route along O'Connell Street. A fourth line to Finglas via the old Broadstone railway line and an extension of the Ballymun line to Dublin Airport and Swords also form part of the full DTI recommended light rail network.

The basic network cannot be fully constructed within the EU and other resources totalling £200 million set out in the National Development Plan. Moreover, a longer time frame than that of the National Development Plan and the Operational Programme for Transport, which covers the period from 1994 to 1999, will be needed to complete the basic network.

The objective is to have two priority phases of the basic three line light rail network constructed in the period up to 1999. In this context my Department in conjunction with a high level project team in CIE have for some time been engaged in detailed planning and preparatory work to advise on the optimum combination of light rail links recommended by the DTI to be constructed by 1999 on the basis of a number of criteria, including financial performance, congestion alleviation, ease of construction and environmental impact. All of the bodies involved in the planning and provision of transportation in the Dublin area are co-operating in this work which embraces all aspects of the light rail network. The provisional finding arising from this work, which is subject to more detailed examination in a number of respects including detailed route alignment, is that links to Tallaght and Dundrum should be constructed by 1999 and this position was noted and approved by the Government in October 1994.

The decision in relation to the two priority phases to be constructed by 1999 does not imply any abandonment of the remaining phases of the basic network.