THE Minister for Transport Mr Lowry, was challenged to place all the correspondence between his Department and the European Commission on the Dublin light rail project before the Dail.

"We believe that Mr Lowry, in the interests of openness, transparency and accountability should take that course," said the Fianna Fail spokesman, Mr Seamus Brennan.

The Minister, he added, had tried to "fob off" the House by placing in the library the terms of reference of the EU investigation into the project. "This is a cop out and represents censorship."

Mr Brennan was speaking during the resumed debate on his party's private members' motion condemning the Minister for misleading the House and overseeing a serious deterioration in relations between Ireland and the commission.

Mr Eric Byrne (DL, Dublin South Central) said the motion was emanating from a party whose one time leader was accused by the President of the European Commission of telling "porkies" regarding structural funds. "Have the deputies opposite forgotten the saga of the incredible shrinking billions?"

Ms Helen Keogh (PD, Dun Laoghaire) said the light rail proposal should not ignore the north side of Dublin.

The motion was defeated by 65 votes to 53.