Written Answers. - Light Rail Project.
Proinsias De Rossa
Ceist:
31
Proinsias De Rossa
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
the current position regarding the LUAS development, including the projected starting and completion dates; if the Government is proceeding with a study of putting LUAS underground in Dublin city centre; if so, the nature of any such study; when it will be completed; when it is proposed to commence work on the Ballymun line; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14921/97]
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:
43
Ms Shortall
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
when the latest study on LUAS will be completed; the timescale for starting and completing the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14927/97]
Olivia Mitchell
Ceist:
45
Ms O. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
if the terms of reference being given to the consultants in the review of the LUAS project allow for consideration of a mass transport system other than a light rail option; and if she intends to provide exchequer funding to replace EU funding lost due to failure to meet 31 December, 2000, deadline for expenditure under the Operational Programme for Transport in the event of significant change to the current scheme being recommended by the consultants.
[14908/97]
Ivor Callely
Ceist:
48
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
the progress, if any, of the committee to study the proposed light rail routes; if the considerations or the report of the committee will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14903/97]
Phil Hogan
Ceist:
58
Mr. Hogan
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
the Government's policy and implementation objectives in relation to the new Dublin light rail transit system, LUAS; and if she will give a timetable for each route being proposed.
[14900/97]
Ivor Callely
Ceist:
76
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Public Enterprise
the current considerations in relation to the light rail network; the likely time schedule associated with the various aspects of the light rail system; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[15096/97]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 31, 43, 45, 48, 58 and 76 together.
I confirm that the strategy set out in the Final Report of the Dublin Transportation Initiative continues to provide the basis for Government policy in relation to transport in Dublin. That policy includes the provision of a light railway system for the capital city and the Government is committed to the provision of the core network recommended in the DTI report which includes a line from Tallaght via the city centre to Dundrum and Sandyford and a line from the city centre at Ballymun.
In accordance with the commitment in the Government's Action Programme for the Millennium I am, with the Government's agreement, in the process of commissioning an independent study to assess the option of putting the Dublin light rail system underground in the city centre.
Invitations to tender for the underground study were invited through advertisements placed in national newspapers and in the EU Official Journal and the final date for receipt of tenders was 22 September last. The tenders are now being urgently evaluated and I expect to be in a position to announce details of the successful consultants in the near future. They will begin work at the start of November. I anticipate that the study will be completed within a period of six months and I can confirm that it will be published.
The study will be based on a comparative evaluation of two broad options comprising the on-street Tallaght-city centre-Dundrum line proposed by CIE in its formal application for a light railway order and the same line with an underground section in the city centre. The consultants will be responsible for defining the nature and extent of the underground option or options to be evaluated. This will permit a thorough evaluation of the on-street and underground options for the city centre in the context of CIE's concrete proposals for a Tallaght — city centre-Dundrum route. The study will not consider mass transit options other than light rail as these strategic issues were dealt with in the DTI study.
As regards the project timetable, it is reasonable to assume that, if the project were to be approved on the basis proposed by CIE in its application for a light railway order, construction could be under way early in 1999 and would take about three years to finish. On the basis of this timescale it could be possible to complete the project by end 2001. Under EU Structural Funds regulations expenditure incurred up to end 2000 is eligible for grant assistance. The Commission may allow an extension, normally for up to a further year. Such a decision would facilitate the full draw down of EU funds in respect of the project based on an end 2001 completion date.
A decision to proceed with an underground section in the city centre would necessitate a substantial redesign of CIE's current proposals and would defer completion of the project beyond 2001. However, it is important to point out that even in these circumstances EU funding allocated to the light rail project under the Operational Programme for Transport 1994-1999 would not be lost to Ireland since unused funds could be reallocated to other eligible projects. The mid-term review of the Community Support Framework provides that a review of the EU funding allocated for the light rail project will take place in Spring 1998 and this can take account of the outcome of the underground study.
With regard to the proposed Ballymun line, the position is that the CIE light rail project team has identified strategic options for the route between the city centre and Ballymun. Further work to provide additional information on these options is now being carried out. However, the light rail project team's efforts will be concentrated to the north of the inner city pending completion of the underground study. The project team hopes to be in a position to initiate the public consultation process in late spring next year when it will be able to take account of the conclusions of the underground study.
Planning and design of the proposed extension of the Dundrum line to Sandyford is well in hand and the public consultation process will get under way in the very near future.
