Vol. 514 No. 3
40 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if it is still the Government's intention to proceed with an underground element of Luas in Dublin city centre; the results to date of any geotechnical studies on the matter; and the estimated departmental cost of this element of the route as determined by Government in May 1998. [4018/00]
The Government decided in May 1998 that, subject to the necessary feasibility and costing studies, the city centre section of the Sandyford to Dublin Airport light rail line should go underground. That decision stands.
The geotechnical studies, commissioned by CIE, to examine possible underground routes in the city centre have been completed recently. I understand that the report confirms the technical feasibility of the underground section and identifies a preferred route alignment, costing just over £300 million. When I have considered the report fully, I will bring its findings to the attention of the Government.
When I rang the Department to obtain a copy of the geotechnical report, I was told it did not have one and when I rang CIE, who commissioned the report, I was told it did not have one. The Luas advisory group has described this tunnel as project E, as in A, B, C, D, E.
Project F might be better.
There has been no commitment at any stage by the Department of Finance to fund this. While everything is possible – Ireland could send a man to the moon—
It will not be you.
The Deputy must put his question.
This project would involve digging up 60% of St. Stephen's Green and there is no prospect of Dúchas, any other body or an EIS supporting such a proposal.
The Deputy has told an untruth. The Deputy must not read documents—
The Department of Finance has not approved it.
The Minister without interruption.
I noticed from the recent comments of the Deputy that he never seems to have read the documents.
The Minister does not have a penny for it.
First, I have here the report on the study of the light rail project from Sandyford, which the Deputy says does not exist.
I have so many reports no hole in the ground could hold them.
Deputy Stagg seems to have decided to shout today. He reminds me of the heckler in the back row at the pictures, except the Deputy is in the front row, who used hoot when Tarzan would swing from tree to tree.
However, I have here the study which the Deputy claims does not exist. I have to bring it to Cabinet and nobody can get it before there is that amount of freedom of information about it. A sum of £500 million is included in the national development plan for the underground station. The Deputy did not read the plan.
There is no State money for it. There is PPS money but no State money.
There is £500 million included in the national development plan.
That is for the line for the airport and to go on to Navan. Does the Minister seriously wish to pull the wool over our eyes? She thinks she is going to have a rail line to Navan and to the airport and an underground tunnel for £500 million. They would cost £2 billion.
The Deputy should resume his seat while the Minister is speaking.
I asked her about digging up 60% of St. Stephen's Green. Does the Minister think Dúchas will agree to it?
I am not in Dúchas so I cannot say.
The Minister knows this is a pipe dream.
We will not be digging up St. Stephen's Green but it is interesting to note—
That is what the report says.
It is interesting that the Deputy says there is no study and yet here it is—
No, I said it was not available. I asked for a copy but I could not be given it.
I am so sorry that the Deputy does not get everything which he thinks should be immediately available.
The truth is that the Minister does not want me to have it. She knows that parts of that report claim it will cost more than £300 million for the tunnel she proposes. Is it her policy to have St. Stephen's Green dug up in the fashion proposed and does she believe her ministerial colleagues will agree to that?
It is amusing the Deputy cannot accept that every capital city in the world has an underground and overground—
None of them has light rail which goes underground.
Deputy Stagg should not interrupt. We are on Priority Questions.
That was not the question.
Light rail does not go underground.
The Minister is dreaming.
Dreaming is lovely. I would like to be a dreamer, but I am not. I do not have the time to dream.
She is raving.
Raving might be a more appropriate term.
The Deputy is the raving loony bit and that has been identified by everyone.
What about Line E?
Please allow the Minister to contribute.
I do not mind not answering. They can turn Question Time around. I would like to ask the Deputies questions. Would that be possible, a Cheann Comhairle?
The Minister will be doing so soon enough.
She will not have to wait too long for that opportunity.
Deputy Yates should dream on.
Order, please.
Deputy Yates does not want a job. He wants to retire. He told us that.
That concludes Priority Questions. We now come to ordinary questions to the Minister for Public Enterprise.
