Sir, I wish to correct a misleading impression that Finian McGrath (September 17th) may have given on the proposed Dublin Port Tunnel namely, that no information was available before December 1995. In mid-1993, we wrote to residents' associations on/near the route to inform them of our campaign for a port access tunnel under our areas. We sent them a copy of a consultant's report prepared for Dublin Corporation. This studied six different routes.
Improving access to Dublin Port has been an issue for the City Council since 1990, and long before that. We asked local candidates in the 1991 council elections to keep us informed of developments.
We want to relieve our areas of through traffic from the port, airport etc. Our areas straddle the second busiest national road in Ireland. When we became aware of the Dublin Transportation Initiative, we felt we had to inform ourselves on the possibilities this offered us in view of EU funding. We consulted elected representatives, public servants and others.
In October 1994 Bertie Ahern TD, then Minister for Finance, announced the Government decision in favour of a northern port access route for Dublin. The media covered this extensively. Councilor Derek McDowell TD circulated people in Marino with this news shortly afterwards.
We understand the concern of those under whose houses the tunnel is routed. However people all over Europe live and work safely over tunnels.
We want the planned LUAS line through Drumcondra to Ballymun and the airport built sooner, not later. We believe that the port tunnel is needed to enhance the environment of the 25,000 people who live in our district. Many others in Dublin and elsewhere will also benefit from this major investment. Yours, etc., Secretary, Drumcondra 2005, c/o 100 Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.