Vol. 399 No. 5
1 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the terms of reference given to the review group, established by him to study transportation problems in Dublin; and the input which can be made by voluntary and statutory groups into the deliberations of the review group; and if the report of the group will be published.
I have placed copies of the detailed terms of reference for Phase I of the Dublin Transportation Study in the Oireachtas Library. Broadly Phase I will examine and report on the existing transportation situation in Dublin taking account of developments since the 1971 Dublin Transportation Study, evaluate the recommendations of previous studies and assess the extent to which they have been implemented, assess the travel forecasting processes used in the previous transportation studies, and identify any new travel data required to complete the study. As part of Phase I of the study, a separate sub-group will also carry out an evaluation and assessment of the feasibility of rail and busway options for public passenger transport in relation to the former Harcourt Street railway line and the Tallaght area.
Phase II of the study will develop a detailed strategy to meet the existing and future transportation requirements of the greater Dublin area. Part of the mandate of Phase I of the study will be to recommend detailed terms of reference for the second phase.
In my statement announcing the study, I said that I was most anxious that the study would be conducted in such a way as to gain a wide measure of acceptance from the various agencies involved in developing transport services and facilities and from the general public as transport users. While the detailed arrangements for public consultation have not yet been decided, I can confirm that submissions will be invited from interested statutory and voluntary organisations and from the general public.
I envisage that a report will be published when the study has been completed.
Would the Minister now acknowledge that his abolition of the Dublin Transport Authority was a fundamental mistake and that if he had not done so the work that is now being undertaken could have been undertaken over three years ago? Can the Minister explain to the House why this work was not undertaken and completed prior to the submission to Brussels of the application for Structural Funds for the Dublin region as the work now apparently being undertaken would and should have had a direct impact on applications for funding for roads, rail and all transport facilities and systems within Dublin?
It was necessary to make application for Structural Funds at this time, and that has been done. We have gained the maximum available from the Structural Funds in that regard. This study which will be overseen by the Dublin Transport Review Group will do all the things the Deputy wants it to do and with full co-operation and assistance from interested parties, the general public included. I hope they will get on with the work as quickly as possible.
Would the Minister not accept that it was an act of gross political incompetence to abolish the Dublin Transport Authority three years ago and to prevent this work being undertaken prior to the submission of the application for Structural Funds for the Dublin region? Will he indicate to what extent he believes this work now being undertaken will make any input into the Structural Funds and the works undertaken in the Dublin region during the lifetime of the current EC programme for Structural Funding?
It is our intention that the work on Phase One will be completed during 1990. Of course, the Deputy will also be aware that the Minister for Tourism and Transport announced earlier that he has a special working group looking at rail and busway options for passenger transport in relation to the former Harcourt Street railway line and the Tallaght area. That review will be incorporated into Phase One of the study. I am pleased that the Deputy sees the usefulness of this study at this time. We expect to hear about Phase One before the end of the year.
