Minister's transport plan held up by lack of funds

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen's promised transport package has been delayed because the Department of Finance does not believe it can be completed for the proposed budget of up to €20 billion, according to Government sources.

The ambitious 10-year plan was put together by Mr Cullen in advance of last December's Budget when it became apparent that €1.4 billion of the department's €2 billion budget was committed to the roads programme, with similar amounts for the following five years.

The major elements of the transport package are the on-going roads programme and improvements to the rail network in the Dublin area. Mr Cullen is understood to be keen that the plan is regionally balanced with major projects outside Dublin to reflect the national spatial strategy.

Department of Finance economists were said to be taken aback at the cost of the plan, particularly if an eastern bypass of Dublin and an outer orbital road around the capital are factored in.

As a 10-year strategic plan, certain elements such as the airport metro must be included.

The Government is also keen to go ahead with Iarnród Éireann's interconnector linking Connolly Station and Heuston Station with new city centre stations, raising Iarnród Éireann's carrying capacity in the city and suburbs from about 25 million a year to more then 100 million a year.

Other major projects under consideration include the new station at Spencer Dock; the reopening of rail services into Co Meath; the completion of the Kildare Route project to separate fast intercity trains from commuter trains; and Luas extensions.

Outside Dublin, the plan includes reopening of at least part of the western rail corridor between Athenry, Co Galway and Ennis, Co Clare with a spur from the Ennis to Limerick line serving Shannon Airport. It also includes reopening of passenger services on part of the Cork City to Middleton line.

The opening last week of the final stretch of the M50 was to have heralded a switch to an era of investment in public transport measures, particularly in Dublin. However, after the current commitment to the roads programme, which will see motorways to all the regional cities by 2010, the roads would continue to demand investment.

Feasibility studies are being carried out on these projects. If included, the roads element of the strategy could amount to more than €12 billion at current prices.

The Department of Finance is keen to avoid cost over-runs which have dogged major schemes in the past.

In terms of public transport the major demands on funding include the airport metro, which even as a public-private partnership is likely to cost the State more then €1 billion in construction contributions and land costs. Another expensive project is the €1.3 billion Dublin rail inter-connecter and the €400 million Kildare route project.

Minister of State Ivor Callely said he was "ambitious and enthusiastic" about having an extension of the metro from the airport to Swords, while Mr Cullen is already committed to extensions of Luas to the docklands and Cherrywood. Even as public-private partnerships these schemes are likely to cost the State €200 million between them.

The State also needs to finance the proposed new terminal at Dublin airport which is to be built by 2009 and the Pier D project to increase capacity by 2007.

The Department of Transport said costs included in the strategic 10-year plan were currently being "tested" by the Department of Finance prior to going to Cabinet for approval.

A Government source said the difficulty with the plan was that the suggested budget of up to €20 billion over 10 years did not represent more than 10 times the annual budget of the Department of Transport. "Yet there is a lot more in it - it begars belief that it can all be fitted in".