The Progressive Democrats have tabled a Seanad motion calling on the Government of which they are members to take action to relieve Dublin's traffic congestion.
The four PD senators are calling for tenders to build the first phase of a metro system to be issued, although the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, has said it cannot be built under current cost projections. He has said it could be built in the lifetime of the present Government if costs came down.
The PD motion, to be debated tomorrow night, also calls for the implementation of "remedial measures" to ensure the Luas light rail line does not exacerbate traffic congestion at the Red Cow roundabout west of the city. There are currently plans to consider such measures to improve access to a park-and-ride facility at the roundabout.
However, there are no plans to alter the proposed system whereby Luas trams will cross several lanes of traffic at the junction.
One of the PD senators, Mr Tom Morrissey, said last night that he did not see the motion as critical of the Government, and that he expected Fianna Fáil senators would support it.
"We are setting out our stall in advance of decisions being taken", he said. "We must have a metro, but it must be at Madrid prices, not at the Rail Procurement Agency's prices."