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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Apr 1979

Vol. 313 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Railway Line Reinstatement.

28.

asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport (a) to estimate the cost of reinstating the Harcourt Street-Bray railway line, including the reacquisition of land sold off, the provision of a new terminus at the Dublin end, the re-laying of track, and the repair of all installations, bridges, stations and so forth; (b) the approximate proportion of the old line no longer in the possession of CIE and the approximate total area sold off; and (c) if the reinstatement of this line might be proceeded with as the first step in the expansion of the Dublin suburban rail network.

There are no proposals to extend the Dublin suburban rail network by re-opening the former Harcourt Street-Bray railway line and therefore I have not received any estimates of the cost of such a proposal.

I have been informed by CIE that apart from a few small pieces the route has been disposed of.

As I have indicated in reply to Question No. 19, the consultancy report commissioned by CIE entitled the Dublin Rail Rapid Transit Study recommended a busway from Dundrum along the former Harcourt Street line, rather than the restoration of the railway.

Would it not be the case that if the busway the Minister referred to were installed it would necessarily involve CIE in reacquiring the land they so brilliantly sold off under the brilliant leadership of the Government of the day? Will the reacquisition not be necessary whether it is a bus way, a railway or any other kind of way?

Yes, if it is decided to have one or the other.

Does the Minister not recognise that anything that is done with that route will involve reacquisition whether it is a busway or a railway?

Yes, if the decision is made to do either.

Is the Minister aware that in Westland Row station there is a large colour depiction of the apparently officially proposed CIE rapid transit plan which actually shows this busway? It has been there so long now that the fashions shown on the women are already out of date. Is the House to take it that there is no concrete proposal of which the Government approve with regard to installing a busway on this route?

If the fashions worn by the ladies are out of date I must assume that the posters were put up during the Deputy's term of office. The Deputy will appreciate that both the Dublin Rail Rapid Transit Study 1975 and the Dublin Transportation Study 1971 recommended bus rather than railway for the Harcourt Street line. I want to repeat that I have no proposals before me in relation to the Dublin rail rapid transit scheme.

I do not want to string this out, but I am trying to get this straight. Will the Minister not agree that it has been common belief, rightly or wrongly, for the last few years, that there was some kind of proposal to install a rapid busway on the former Harcourt Street line? It is in that connection that I am asking the Minister if he would agree that, if that is done, all the land CIE sold off will have to be reacquired? Will he agree that in that event the major part of the difficulty in reinstating that line will be involved whether or not it is a busway or a railway, which I would prefer? The land will have to be compulsorily reacquired. I do not know if statutory power exists for that. The land will have to be levelled and treated and a permanent way made whether it is for buses or rail. The purpose of this question was to elicit from the Minister an estimate—I do not care if it is prepared by his Department or anybody else—of the cost of reinstating it as a railway as distinct from reinstating it as a busway?

Until we consider the total plan I do not see any point in having an estimate carried out. The estimate would relate to the whole scheme and I do not see any point in having an estimate carried out for something unless a proposal is made to go ahead with that particular plan.

I am not trying to be contentious and I know we want to get finished. I do not know about other Deputies but I would be quite willing for questions to continue until 5 o'clock in order to get some more finished. Would the Minister not agree that before he makes a decision or before any proposals are made in regard to a busway he ought at least have some clue in his head about what the reinstatement of the route as a railway would cost? How can he decide in regard to a busway if he does not know what it will cost to reinstate the route as a railway?

That is a hypothetical question.

I must assume that the people who carried out the two studies had some idea what they were doing. They recognised that if anything were to be done with this particular former railway it should be used as a bus route.

Would the Minister undertake to ask his Department to give him, even in the simplest form, an estimate of the difference in the cost between reinstating this route as a railway and as a busway given, incidentally, that a city terminal in either event will be necessary? If it is a busway the buses will be fed into the city traffic, which is already too congested, whereas if it is a railway it can be brought underground to the central terminal which I understand is envisaged anyway. Will the Minister, if he can, get an estimate of the cost of the railway proposal?

I do not see the point of it.

The Minister can make no decision about a busway if he does not know what the relative cost of another alternative will be. This is a hopeless Government.

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