Vol. 575 No. 1
9 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Transport the status of the proposed development of a rail interconnector between Spencer Dock and Heuston Station; the work which has been carried out to investigate the feasibility of tunnelling such a rail connection; if a cost benefit analysis has been completed on the proposal; and the statutory body which will be responsible for progressing the proposal. [27808/03]
The construction of a rail tunnel connecting Heuston Station and the East Wall Junction via the Docklands was one of the proposals contained in the Dublin Transportation Office strategy document, A Platform for Change, for construction in the period up to 2010. On foot of this proposal, Irish Rail engaged consultants to carry out a feasibility study relating to the interconnector tunnel. I asked Irish Rail, as part of the study, to examine the possibility of making greater use of the Phoenix Park Tunnel. The study has now been completed and yesterday my Department received formal proposals from Irish Rail in that regard. My Department plans to hold discussions with the company in the matter.
While the DTO carried out an overall cost benefit analysis of its strategy, I understand that a cost benefit analysis has not yet been undertaken on the specific proposal of an interconnector tunnel. Such an analysis would be a prerequisite to the proposal progressing.
