The Dublin Transport Authority announced yesterday by Noel Dempsey after "11 years of promises" will not be up and running in time to oversee the 'Big Build' underway in the city, Fine Gael Transport Spokesman Fergus O'Dowd has said.

Mr O'Dowd claimed the new authority is too late for State's biggest infrastructure projects, such as the Metro, Luas extensions and the rail interconnector.

"I welcome the long-awaited publication of the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) Bill which has been on the cards for 11 years. Although the DTA is essential and long-overdue, it comes far too late for the thousands of commuters and homeowners who are trapped in the new car-dependent suburbs across the greater Dublin area," he said.

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"Fianna Fáil allowed rampant construction of new homes in the Greater Dublin Area without providing any proper planning for transport. But, the gridlock which confronts these commuters every day could have been avoided if the DTA was set up when it was first promised. Commuters will continue to suffer the consequences of this developer led planning for the years to come."

The transport spokesman said that as a result of the delay, the new Transport Authority "will not be able to co-ordinate Dublin's 'Big Build' which is about to get underway.

(VB/JM)