Luas 'mess' threatens delay and cost hike

THE troubled Luas project could be delayed a further nine months and cost at least an extra €20m it emerged last night.

As Transport Minister Seamus Brennan announced a possible €20m flyover mounted on stilts to avoid further congestion at the Red Cow Roundabout, officials from the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) warned a new Environmental Impact Study (EIS) may be required.

As Mr Brennan called the Red Cow section of the Luas "a mess" and a "huge mistake", RPA director of corporate services Gerard Hannon warned an EIS could take nine months to complete and may necessitate a public inquiry.

"An EIS would have to be made available for public inspection and a mechanism would need to be set up for receiving submissions as well as a report prepared by an inspector," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Brennan confirmed an EIS for a major project would normally take at least nine months but indicated the minister was yet to receive final legal advice as to whether a completely new procedure would be required for the changes envisaged at the Red Cow Roundabout.

"Experience would suggest an EIS is required for very large projects but this is only a very small alteration to a larger project," the spokesman said.

Legal advice on the matter is expected to be finalised in the coming days while final estimates on the cost of the raised Luas section are also due by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, the Government moved to counter mounting criticism of the Luas last night by announcing plans to introduce legislation aimed at halving the construction time of all future infrastructure projects.

A Government spokeswoman confirmed the Taoiseach was anxious to see elements of two proposed Critical Infrastructure Bills applied to future projects.

The Bills, to be introduced by Mr Brennan before Christmas, make provision for State ownership of land below 10 metres and would allow work to continue round the clock.

While the legislation would be primarily aimed at the swift completion of the planned metro system, the Government is understood to be in favour of extending the legislation to cover all future large projects.

"The Taoiseach would be in favour of having that legislation extended to large infrastructure projects," the Government spokeswoman said.

Speaking in Killarney yesterday Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that notwithstanding the mess that had been created, it was crucial to finish the Luas on time and on budget.

Labour's transport spokeswoman Rosín Shortall called on the RPA to be scrapped due to the "litany of cock-ups" associated with Luas.

PD transport spokesperson Senator Tom Morrissey said Mr Brennan's statement had "confirmed our worst fears".

"This proves that we have divested too much power to bodies like the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the RPA, and then when a problem arises, it's handed back to the minister too late," he said.