While I have serious doubts about the Government's ability to deliver on its transport plan, in theory, at least, it's a great idea. Public transport in this State is absolutely shocking and needs precisely this kind of initiative. Those who dismiss the need for a northside Metro obviously don't spend the amount of time I do sitting on buses that aren't going anywhere. Of course, it will probably be 2020 rather than 2012 by the time it's finally delivered, and at three times the cost, but it needs to be gone ahead with and sooner rather than (any) later.

I must add, though, that I was greatly amused when I went to the Department of Transport's web site looking for further details of this plan - and discovered that the site hasn't been updated since July. We may be getting a "21st century transport plan for 21st century Ireland", as their press release announces, but we're still very much stuck with 20th century communications.