Sir, - I am replying to Frank McDonald's article on April 16th. There are some quotations and views that I feel deserve a reply. Eamonn Brady is quoted as saying, in response to the Commissioner querying the concept of the Luas line: "It's their money and they want to make sure that we're spending it in the right way. We say that we are, having done our studies".
Later in the article, you make the point: "Typically Irish style - all sorts of interests have been crawling out at the eleventh hour". The truth of the situation is it is only in the last six weeks that the public has begun to get any detail as to the exact routes that are being taken. When one tries to get more specifics or details, one is met by a blanket of silence.
Luas terms these routes the "preferred routes". In our area, the Mount Brown Kilmainham one, the preferred route will put roughly 500-700 people out of permanent employment, as 90 per cent of the businesses in the area will have to close down. There is no compensation being paid, so it is improbable that the businesses can relocate.
The sad fact is that liable alternative routes exist and Mr Eamonn Brady, the spokesperson for the Luas Line, is aware of them. However these are not being looked at because the Minister, Mr Lowry, wants to rush this through to draw on EU funding,
How ironic, when the principal point made by the Commissioner was that she wanted the Light Rail Transport System to aid the long term unemployed! - Yours, etc.,
Old Kilmainham,
Dublin 8.