WRITTEN QUESTION E-3336/97 by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission (22 October 1997)

Subject: Luas light rail system for Dublin

In September the EU's Regional Commissioner Monika Wulf-Mathies stated that if by spring next year it appeared unlikely that Dublin's Luas light rail system was going to be introduced on schedule, 'all or part of the funds [allocated to the project by the EU] will be decommitted or reallocated to other projects'.

Recently the Irish Minister for Public Enterprise Mary O'Rourke decided to commission an underground study on the possibility of running the Luas underground. As a result a public enquiry on the project has been postponed for at least six months.

The Minister has now told Dáil Éireann that a decision to proceed with the underground option would defer completion of the project beyond 2001. She added: '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 would not be lost to Ireland since the unused funds could be reallocated to other eligible projects.'

From that statement, it would appear that the Minister is conceding that EU funds for the light rail system would be in jeopardy.

Has the Commission made any representations to the Irish authorities about the slow rate of progress in implementing Luas? What view does the Commission take of those delays?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (4 December 1997)

The Commission remains concerned that the Irish government decision to commission an independent study to assess the option of putting underground the Dublin light rail system in the city centre and postponement of the public enquiry will exacerbate the already difficult timing problems in relation to this project.

At the transport operational programme monitoring committee meeting held in Dublin on 23 October 1997, the Commission requested an update on the Dublin light rail project. It was informed that if the project were to be approved on the basis proposed by Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE) in its application for a light railway order, a completion date at the end of 2001 was feasible. However, 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.

The Irish authorities anticipate that the underground study will be completed by the end of April 1998. However, regardless of the availability or outcome of this study, and indeed the deliberations of the public enquiry, a definite decision on this project will have to be made by the monitoring committee for the community support framework for Ireland in the spring of 1998. At this stage the Commission would not wish to pre-empt these agreed arrangements for review of the project.

Furthermore, it should be noted that work on the Dublin light rail project has not been completely halted. Planning and design of the proposed Ballymun line, as well as the proposed extension of the Dundrum line to Sandyford is continuing. In addition, terms of reference are currently being drawn up for a study into the selling of an operating concession, including aspects of park and ride.