I want to ask about the reported announcement by the new Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, that he intends to bring proposals to Cabinet by Christmas for a €70 million spur Luas line from the green line at St. Stephen's Green to the red line at O'Connell Street or Middle Abbey Street. Is this Government thinking? The Taoiseach should reflect on the decision of a previous Minister, the then Minister for Public Enterprise, Senator O'Rourke, who decided in 1997 that she was prepared to suffer the loss of €114 million in EU funding at the time to commission a new report by WS Atkins, which, in April 1998, recommended precisely such an over-ground link. In May 1998, the then Minister, Senator O'Rourke, rejected the Atkins proposition for a surface connection in favour of an underground link.

If it was wrong in 1998, why is it right in 2004? Is there any coherence to Government policy in respect of the provision of transport in Dublin city? At that time, the then Minister, Senator O'Rourke, justified her decision on the basis of the scale of disruption caused, the capacity of the streets in question, the objections of Dublin Bus and the prospect of a metro. The Taoiseach seems to have ruled out the prospect of a metro. What has changed since we heard the arguments from the Dublin city centre traders about the scale of disruption — we have had direct experience since then — and about the capacity of the streets to take a bus and Luas service, such as is the case on Dawson Street, Nassau Street, College Green and so on? Will the Taoiseach clarify whether the current Minister, Deputy Cullen, is talking off the top of his head, in keeping with the sound tradition in that Department in the last eight years, or whether this is Government policy?

The original Luas proposal for Dublin some six years ago was for a single Luas line from Tallaght via the city centre to Sandyford.

The proposal was originally for three lines.

I am answering Deputy Rabbitte's question which does not concern the third line. The subsequent decision, as far back as 1998, was to separate the proposal into two elements: Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green and Tallaght to Connolly Station, with a link to the airport to follow later. There have been a number of developments since these decisions were taken. The Dublin Transportation Office strategy, A Platform for Change, which was published some years ago, proposes a metro for Dublin as well as the development of an integrated rail network in the city. Both of these elements come with a price tag running to billions of euro. The second issue is that the Railway Procurement Agency has submitted a detailed business plan to the Department of Transport in regard to the proposal for a metro link between the city centre and the airport. Third, Irish Rail has submitted to the Department of Transport proposals for an integrated rail network in the greater Dublin area, a plan that has much merit as I stated in the House last week. These proposals include the electrification of the Kildare and Maynooth lines and an interconnector tunnel linking Heuston Station to the docklands to enable greater integration of rail services at a far lower cost than the metro plan. The proposals from the RPA and more recently from Irish Rail would represent significant investments for the Exchequer and, as I stated last week, would take considerable time to deliver. However, that does not mean the process cannot begin.

In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, the Department of Transport is looking at the various proposals in the context of the overall needs of the greater Dublin area, in conjunction with the organisations to which I referred. It is hoped we will be able to give consideration to these proposals at an early date.

The board of the RPA recently considered preliminary analysis of the feasibility and cost of €70 million, as the Deputy stated, of linking the two Luas lines in the city centre. The indications are positive that joining the Luas lines does not rule out the case for either a metro or the rail lines, which was the case stated five or six years ago. It could be delivered in a period of 18 to 24 months from getting approval to proceed following a planning inquiry.

This is the case stated by many of the relevant bodies in the context of the recent discussions of the Cabinet sub-committee. The priority is that we should do this. It will not affect any of the other decisions in regard to the strategy, A Platform for Change. The issue is being examined in this context on the understanding that the position of the relevant bodies is that if we are going to do it, we should make an early decision.

The Taoiseach can correct me if I am wrong but I take it from his reply that the metro is dead and that he favours the integrated proposal from Irish Rail. From his reply, I take it that what was rejected as a bad idea in 1998 is now deemed to be a good idea that does not cut off any options for the future. I also gather from the Taoiseach's reply that cost is a major consideration in this regard. How does letting the years pass in the manner in which we have let them pass make the cost any more viable? The fact is that if it can now be done in 12 or 18 months, it could have been done at minimal extra cost contemporaneously with the works that have already been put in place. In the context of the overall cost of the Luas proposal at the time, a cost of €70 million would not have been a significant add-on.

My point is as follows. Yesterday, I raised with the Taoiseach the announcement by the previous Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, that the Government would provide 850 additional beds in community nursing units through a PPP. This suggestion has been dropped and there is a complete reversal of direction. We seem to have the same lack of coherent, consistent thinking in the transport area. A proposal that was shot down out of hand by the former Minister, Senator O'Rourke, is now considered the way to go. What way is this to make major infrastructure decisions for a city that is cluttered, log-jammed and gridlocked in terms of traffic?

The Deputy's time is concluded. He should give way to the Taoiseach.

Will the Taoiseach allay fears in regard to how one can run, for example, a bus service in the inner city spatial area as well as having tram lines and motorists on the roads?

I answered yesterday on the issue of beds by stating that instead of building a new unit over a long period, which might still happen, we would begin using the private nursing beds already in place. It made sense to do this rather than dragging the process out for a period of years.

That was to be additional. Some 250 beds were offered.

On the issue of Luas, I do not think Deputy Rabbitte was leader of the Labour Party at the time-——

He was in another party.

——but I well recall the Labour Party protesting when the former Minister, Senator O'Rourke, and I launched Luas and stated we would have Luas on the streets of Dublin by 2004. That has now been done.

They stated it would be 2002.

We are years behind.

A Cheann Comhairle——

The Deputy was in another party.

If one travels around the city, one will see Luas. If one does not, that is not my problem. Luas is on the streets, working very successfully.

The Taoiseach wants history to be rewritten day by day.

He missed the tram.

Deputy Rabbitte was allowed make his contribution with no interruptions. The Taoiseach is entitled to exactly the same facility in this House, and the Chair will ensure he gets it.

While some Members may think that Luas was built with no cost, the two completed elements of it cost €650 million.

Half the roads budget.

Take them off the buses.

Have a bit of manners.

We are continuing with a large extension in the provision of public buses. We have followed the recommendations on bus corridors by the Dublin Transport Office and on the port tunnel.

When was the last time the Taoiseach took a bus?

In rail facilities——

Deputy Burton will be asked to leave the House if she continues to interrupt.

Has the Taoiseach taken a bus into Dublin city centre lately?

Does Deputy Burton wish to leave the House?

I wish the Taoiseach would take a bus.

He is very tetchy this morning.

Some years ago it was believed that the link would rule out other issues. A new plan which is good has been submitted by Iarnród Éireann. It is not a question of just dropping the concept of delivering a metro but doing it within a realistic cost. Dublin city cannot take up the entire transport infrastructure budget for Ireland. We must look at the best, most efficient and effective ways of delivering good transport services. The Government is doing this through roads, rail, the electrification of the Maynooth line and examining the linking of the two Luas lines. Those are our priority issues.