asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development if, with reference to the recent Government Green Paper's references to internal transport, it is proposed to approve of the CIE proposal for a rail rapid transit system; and when a final decision is to be made in this regard.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Rail Rapid Transit System .
18.
: CIE have submitted proposals to the Government for the electrification of the suburban rail service from Howth to Bray. As indicated by the Minister for Tourism and Transport in a reply to a similar question on 7 June last, the proposals have been subject to a detailed examination in his Department and consultation with other Departments concerned is still proceeding. I am not in a position to indicate when a final decision will be taken on these proposals.
Apart from the proposal for the electrification of the Howth-Bray service, CIE have not yet submitted formal proposals for the provision of a rail rapid transit system for Dublin.
: Would the Minister accept that the proposal is the first phase of such a rail rapid system and that therefore their application for the electrification could be reasonably taken as the primary stage of such an application?
: I am not too familiar with the details. I replied on the basis of the information supplied. If it is indeed a phase of a larger project it would be more appropriate to submit the whole proposal, because it is difficult for people to take decisions on an entire project if they are only submitted information dealing with portion of it.
: Have the Minister's Department been consulted about the electrification proposal and if so can he give an indication of their response?
: My Department had discussions with the Department of Tourism and Transport.
: With regard to the last three or four lines of paragraph 5 (a) of the Green Paper where the alleged benefit of the implementation of a rail rapid system is said to derive mainly from its contribution to reduced traffic congestion, does the Minister accept that the reduction in traffic congestion would be of positive social and economic benefit to the city?
: I accept that reducing traffic congestion has positive social benefits.
: Does the Minister agree that in that paragraph there is, to any objective rational person——
: No. One must relate the cost of achieving any benefit to the cost of benefits from alternative modes of activity.
: Would the Minister agree that in that paragraph there is a reluctance——
: This is argument, Deputy.
(Interruptions.)
: Question No. 19.
: I know the Minister's reply. It is the biggest political kite that was ever flown.
: Will the Deputy stop behaving like a schoolboy?
(Interruptions.)
: It has taken over an hour to get through 17 questions and the Deputy still cannot ask questions but must keep making woolly political speeches.
(Interruptions.)
: Order please. Will the Deputy please behave?
: Deputy Keating is not accurate. The biggest kite was 100,000 jobs in 1957.
: Does the Deputy also want to get in on the entertainment?