Vol. 472 No. 4
161 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he has revised his target of holding a public inquiry into the Luas Dublin light rail project in the autumn and to permit construction of light rail to begin as early as possible in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23520/96]
The CIE project team is currently engaged in an extensive public consultation programme and in the finalisation of a formal application for a light railway order for the Tallaght to Dundrum route. It is only when I have received that application that the statutory timetable set out in the Transport (Dublin Light Rail) Act, 1996 will come into effect.
CIE expects to be in a position to submit the formal application at the end of February 1997. On this basis, I expect that a public inquiry will be held in the first half of 1997 and that the project will be able to commence construction before the end of 1997.
