Dublin's public transport network expanded today with the unveiling of 100 new buses that are set to carry an additional eight million passengers a year.
The fleet will serve commuters across the city and county, as well as Co Meath, Wicklow and Kildare.
New buses are also expected on routes to Baldoyle, Ballymun and from Swords to Rathmines.
The additional 100 Dublin Bus vehicles, which cost €30 million under the Government's Transport 21 plan, takes the Dublin Bus fleet to 1,182.
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen announced that a feasibility study on the creation of a Luas line from Rathfarnham, Terenure and Harold's Cross to the city centre is to be undertaken in the coming weeks.
The move would benefit the city's two Luas lines in operation from St Stephen's Green to Sandyford and from Connolly Station to Tallaght.
"Since its introduction in 2004, Luas has played a major role in persuading the travelling public of the merits of public transport and the existing Luas lines
- which carried 26 million passengers last year
- have broadened the scope of public transport in Dublin," said Mr Cullen.
Seven Luas projects are being examined, including routes from Sandyford to Cherrywood, Cherrywood to Bray, Connolly station to the Docklands, St Stephen's Green to O'Connell Street, the city centre to Liffey junction, and an extension of the line from Tallaght to Citywest.