Vol. 567 No. 2
126 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Transport if he has completed his evaluation of the metro outline business case and the alternative Iarnród Éireann proposals; when he expects to be in a position to bring proposals to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13686/03]
135 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider the further development of the Luas system by the linking of the Tallaght and Sandyford Luas lines as originally envisaged by an overground line via Dawson Street, College Green and Westmoreland Street; his views on whether such a development can provide a valuable transport connection to any future metro stop at St. Stephen's Green; his further views and concerns expressed in some quarters regarding the traffic implications of such a city centre overground route are now diminished in view of traffic management decisions of recent years; and the estimated cost and timetable for the construction of such an overground Luas line from St. Stephen's Green to O'Connell Bridge. [13656/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 135 together.
Last year, the Government agreed that the development of the Dublin metro should be undertaken on a phased basis and as a public private partnership. It also decided that a link from the city centre to Dublin Airport was to be included in Phase 1. Since then, the Railway Procurement Agency has concentrated its work on developing proposals for this phase. A preliminary public consultation has taken place and a prequalification exercise for potential bidders was launched by the agency in mid-2002.
In November 2002, my Department received the outline business case for Phase 1 of the metro from the RPA. The Dublin metro is the largest proposed infrastructure project in the history of the State. Careful consideration of the outline business case is being undertaken. The estimated costs are substantial and a number of additional aspects of the proposal are being assessed as part of my evaluation of the OBC. These additional aspects concern the potential impact of the project on the general Government balance in the context of the EU Stability and Growth Pact; and the legal, planning and technical considerations based on practice elsewhere, particularly Madrid where the authorities developed a strong international reputation for the speedy completion of the Madrid metro extensions at a relatively low cost. More recently, Iarnród Éireann submitted preliminary proposals for a heavy rail link to Dublin Airport by extending a spur from the northern suburban line.
