Labour Transport Spokesperson Tommy Broughan T.D. has asked Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to make a statement to Dail Eireann clarifying his capital spending priorities for key public transport infrastructure projects in 2010.

Deputy Broughan said, "Minister Dempsey has refused the request of myself and other members of the Dail Transport Committee to meet the Transport Committee before the upcoming Budget to discuss transport capital spending priorities.

"Minister Dempsey has also flatly refused to indicate what his capital spending priorities are for 2010 even though this means that key T21 public transport projects now appear to be in serious jeopardy.

"The Minister was one of the first cabinet Ministers to criticise the McCarthy Report earlier in the summer when he reportedly called the McCarthy proposals on transport "baffling." Yet, Minister Dempsey went on to make very disappointing comments himself last week to the effect that critical Transport 21 infrastructure projects including the proposed Lucan Luas will be delayed indefinitely and completely miss their T21 deadlines.

"It makes no economic sense to abandon public transport infrastructure projects most of which are being built through Public Private Partnerships. T21 infrastructure projects also provide a significant means of keeping sections of the building industry working given the appalling haemorrhaging of building jobs over the past year.

"Minister Dempsey must now come clean on what will happen to capital spending on transport in 2010 and make a full statement to the Dail on this matter."