Sir, - Throughout the Luas controversy, and particularly in the debate on whether the light rail system should be put underground between the two canals, the proponents of this scheme have been consistently the target of rumour and scaremongers. It has been claimed, for example, that those who, like myself, insist that the underground option should be considered are recklessly placing in jeopardy EU structural funding. A report by Ed Micheau in the current issue of Business and Finance should finally lay this canard to rest.
The reporter points out that the Dublin Transport Initiative failed to make a proper investigation of the merits of putting the transport system even partially underground. Moreover, he refers to a report entitled "Public Transport in Dublin" (final report April 1991) commissioned by CIE. This was prepared by the UK consultants Steer Davies Gleave. The same consultants were commissioned to help produce the final report of the DTI itself in 1994.
However, important conclusions arrived at in the first report are inexplicably omitted from the second report and it appears that members of the DTI's consultative panel were not made aware of the recommendations of the 1991 report.
Significantly, "Public Transport in Dublin" concludes that the underground option should be thoroughly examined. Mr Micheau continues: "It is not unreasonable to suggest that if the findings were made known to all concerned a detailed study of the underground option would have been instigated five years ago, saving the State considerable time and the possible expense of missing out on EU funding."
Mr Micheau's article, entitled "Going Underground", concludes by exposing a damning series of contradictions between the environmental impact statement prepared for CIE and the authoritative 1991 report in terms of the underground option's considerably better record in terms of capacity, ability to attract passengers and safety. On this evidence there are a lot of questions to be answered.
In the meantime, however, I think it important that public-spirited people and in particular public officials should support our courageous Transport Minister, Mary O'Rourke TD, who has consistently maintained an independent and clear-sighted approach to the controversy and refused to allow herself to be browbeaten. I look forward to the publication of the Atkins Report and the speedy implementation of an appropriate integrated transport policy for the city of Dublin. - Yours, etc.,
Senator David Norris
Seanad Eireann, Dublin 2.