Sir, – Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless claims that “investment in public transport and capital infrastructure is never wasted: it is always a good spend” (“Train station opens 15 years after it was built”, News, August 27th). Does this apply to the €25 million spent – nearly 20 years ago – on a station box under the Mater hospital for the now abandoned Metro North? MetroLink, the proposed replacement, will destroy a small public park for a station near that hospital. Similarly, the Metro North project team bought a property adjoining Drumcondra station to create an interchange point serving Croke Park and the many bus routes going through Drumcondra. But MetroLink will not use this investment, as it proposes a completely new station nearer Phibsboro.
Perhaps the Minister, his officials and agencies have some cunning plan to get a return on those investments. If so, please tell us about it. – Yours, etc,
DONAL O’BROLCÁIN,
Dublin 9.