Brennan expects Cabinet decision on Red Cow soon

The Government is to shortly make a decision on which option to pursue in dealing with traffic congestion at the Red Cow roundabout on the M50 junction, the Dáil was told.

The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, said he hoped to be able to give a final decision within a couple of weeks.

He was replying to the Labour spokeswoman on transport, Ms Róisín Shortall, who pressed the Minister to say when a decision would be made. "Today's plan is for a €300 million flyover, last week's plan was for a €700 million spaghetti junction and the week before the Minister planned to put Luas on stilts."

Mr Brennan said he pointed out many times that he regarded the Red Cow roundabout as a problem. "It carries 90,000 cars per day. It is a major intersection of the M50 and the main Cork road and the Luas is on top of it.

"That is a problem and I am sorry if that offends some people. I am looking at solutions." A number of solutions had been put forward, he said. One was to elevate the track on its existing alignment, which had been studied independently. The outside consultants had said it would cost between €20 million and €30 million, while the (Rail Procurement Agency) RPA had said it would cost twice as much.

The RPA, said Mr Brennan, had told him the roundabout needed a substantial upgrade. "The €300 million figure, quoted in the newspaper, is not for the roundabout, but relates to the complete upgrade of the M50 and the provision of additional lanes." Mr Brennan said he would study what he had received from the National Roads Authority (NRA).

"If the deputy accepts that this matter needs to be sorted, there are two solutions. One is to authorise the elevation of the track and the other is to bring forward the general upgrade of the roundabout and incorporate the solution into that upgrade. I have no figure from the NRA for the upgrade, but I estimate that it would cost up to €100 million."

Ms Shortall asked the Minister to give an assurance that, irrespective of what decision was made, the Tallaght Luas line would commence operations next summer as promised.

Mr Brennan replied: "The deputy is trying to have it both ways and in Opposition that is possible. She is asking me to separate them but without any delay occurring. That is not possible."

Amid further exchanges with Ms Shortall, the Minister repeated that he would make a decision on the matter in a couple of weeks. "However, if any work is done on the roundabout, it will delay the Luas. There is no way around that."