I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 101, 104, 113, 215 and 220 together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 50 which I answered earlier. To provide an integrated rail network in the greater Dublin area, Iarnród Éireann submitted proposals to my Department in July 2004 for a €3.5 billion investment for the following: to four-track the Kildare line; electrification of the Kildare and Maynooth lines; an interconnector tunnel linking Heuston to the docklands; a spur off the Maynooth line to Dunboyne; expanding the capacity of the DART. The Iarnród Éireann proposals are being assessed by my Department at present, although in the case of the DART the capacity of the system is being increased.
In addition, the Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business case for a metro from the city centre to Dublin Airport and is advancing plans for extension of the Luas to the docklands and Cherrywood. The Department is awaiting business plans from the RPA to assist in its evaluation of both Luas extensions. The RPA has also considered a preliminary analysis of the feasibility and cost of linking both Luas lines in the city centre and a more detailed proposal is now being prepared for consideration by the RPA board before its submission to my Department.
Overall, the various proposals are being considered in the context of the developing needs of public transport in the greater Dublin area, the framework outlined on the Dublin Transportation Office, Platform for Change, the recently adopted regional planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area and the extended ten year multi-annual capital investment envelope for transport announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement.