Dublin Rail may get on track

TRANSPORT Minister Séamus Brennan said yesterday that he expects a make a significant announcement on the €2.2 billion Dublin Metro within weeks.

This follows a change in EU rules which will allow the Government to borrow large sums of money for major infrastructural projects particularly public private partnerships.

Up to now, strict rules on government accounts have stopped investment in a number of projects like the Dublin Metro and toll roads because the total cost of these projects had to be paid during the two or three years of construction. Now that cost can be spread out over 25 years.

Speaking at the testing of the first Luas train on a new suspension bridge in Dublin, Mr Brennan said: "I am very excited by the new ruling, but I need to study it."

All the research has been done on the Dublin Metro and the routes have been sanctioned by the Rail Procurement Agency.

Now that this major EU obstacle has been removed, the minister needs to secure the funding from the Department of Finance and get Cabinet approval for the project. This seems more likely now that funding can be spread over 25 years and the private sector can also bear a large portion of the initial cost.

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have both publicly supported the project. "Now the only one who needs convincing is Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy," one official said.

Earlier, the Green Party called on Mr Brennan to make an announcement on the Dublin Metro within weeks now that a major EU regulation obstacle has been removed.

The Green Party spokesperson on transport, Eamon Ryan, said that the EU Growth and Stability Pact rules had been relaxed and the Cabinet should proceed with the Dublin Metro.