Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Capital Projects.

John Bruton

Ceist:

219 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if in the past three months, she has decided to move aspects of the public capital programme expenditure of her Department into a public private partnership provision; if so, her plans in this regard; the reasons for the decision; and the implications of this decision for the categorisation of the expenditure in question under the Stability and Growth Pact of Ireland for participation in the European single currency. [2210/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I have not moved any public capital programme expenditure into public private partnerships, or PPPs, in the past three months. The two PPP's currently being progressed by the Railway Procurement Agency, RPA are: (a) the operation of the Luas services and (b) the development of the Dublin Metro.

The competition for the selection of the Luas operator is at an advanced stage with the contract likely to be awarded in the coming weeks. The contract is for operation only and no capital expenditure from the Exchequer is involved.

The procurement process for the Dublin Metro will begin shortly.