Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 1

Written Answers. - Airport Rail Link.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

77 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the number of commuters recorded through Dublin Airport to date in 1999; and her views on the enormous benefit which would arise from a direct rail link to Dublin. [21200/99]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The latest available figures are for a passenger throughput at Dublin Airport of approximately 10 million to end September 1999. The estimated figure for the whole of 1999 is 13 million. The 1998 joint Aer Rianta-CIE air-rail link study reported that passenger throughput represented one-third of all surface trips to-from the airport. On this basis the total number of trips, including passengers, meeters and greeters and staff working at the airport, will be about 40 million this year. A number of options for a rail link are currently under consideration. In May 1998 the Government approved the extension of the light rail system to Dublin Airport. Public consultation on this line is ongoing and a number of options on how to serve the airport are under consideration. The strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area recommended additional study of a heavy rail link to the airport and identified a number of options.

CIE, on my instructions, has commissioned a consultancy team to undertake a strategic review of the Dublin suburban rail network in the longer term. The consultants have been asked to look at all possible options for the development of the suburban rail network in the greater Dublin area up to 2020. The possible development of a rail link to Dublin Airport is being included in that evaluation. I expect to receive the final report before the end of the year.

My Department is in the process of establishing a working group which will oversee the development of a short-term transport management strategy for the airport zone. This strategy will identify public transport and traffic management measures to be taken in the period up to the implementation of the rail infrastructure projects. This group will include all relevant Government departments, local authorities and agencies involved in the provision and facilitation of surface access links to Dublin Airport.