Fianna Fβil has defended itself against opposition party allegations that it is using taxpayers' money to organise a "publicity stunt" for the unveiling of the first Luas tram tomorrow.
It has also emerged that Fianna Fβil's Government partners, the Progressive Democrats, did not know of the Taoiseach's plans to exhibit the carriage on Merrion Square, and to be photographed with it, until they saw tracks being laid for it.
The carriage, newly arrived from France, has been parked just below Government Buildings. According to Mr Eamonn Brady, Luas publicity manager, the cost of installing it there was about £25,000. This included the laying of 100 feet of track to hold the 90-foot-long tram.
According to the Government Information Services, there will be a "photocall and brief words" from Mr Ahern at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow on the "first tram for the light rail project". The Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke, will also be present.
Three weeks ago, at the Fianna Fβil Ardfheis, Mr Ahern said that Luas would come into service within three years. "I am taking delivery of the first carriages in less than two weeks' time", he said.
Asked yesterday what opinion the Tβnaiste, Ms Harney, had of the event, her spokesman said that he had no comment.
A spokesman for Mrs O'Rourke said that the event was a public information exercise to give the public an opportunity see what Luas will look like. The £790,000 tram, which holds 235 people, will remain on view until Tuesday evening. It was transported by ferry from France and arrived in Rosslare last Saturday.
"Taxpayers' money is paying for it and people are entitled to see what it looks like", the Minister's spokesman said.
Fine Gael's local government spokeswoman, Ms Olivia Mitchell, described the event as a pre-election public relations stunt, using taxpayers' money to "soften up the electorate - this time over the long-promised Luas".
She added: "It is an insult to the public's intelligence for Bertie Ahern and Mary O'Rourke to give us yet another photocall with a Luas ghost train when traffic congestion in Dublin is crippling the city and infuriating commuters."
The Labour Party has described the event as a cynical abuse of the office of Taoiseach and a gross misuse of public funds. The party's environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore, said that when the photo opportunity was over the hard-pressed commuters of Dublin would not see ther carriage again for several years. He added: "Some months ago, Minister Mary O'Rourke travelled to London to have her photograph taken with a Luas carriage. Now Bertie Ahern has gone one better and arranged to have a Luas carriage brought to Dublin to be photographed with him."
Following the public consultation exercise, the tram will be brought to the Luas depot at the Red Cow roundabout. Mr Brady said that the track from there to Tallaght would be completed by next February and would be used for training drivers and testing the system.