Sir, - The decision by the Minister for Transport, Mrs O'Rourke, to set up an independent study to assess the option of running the proposed light rail underground in the city centre has put the entire project in jeopardy.
The Minister's decision will delay the project by one or perhaps two years and cannot be justified, given the chaotic traffic system in the general Dublin area. Putting light rail entirely underground would cost an additional £300 million. Surely this is not the Minister's idea of an option.
The people of Tallaght and Dundrum may never have a light rail system as the delays in getting the LUAS project started may result in the loss of EU funding. To date no plan has been received by the EU from the Government.
There is only one lobby seeking to push LUAS underground, and that is the motoring lobby. By making this decision Mrs O'Rourke puts herself in that camp. Yours, etc.,
Eamonn Maloney Tallaght, Dublin 24.