The man in charge of building the extension to Madrid's metro has said that Dublin badly needs a similar system.
Professor Manuel Maynar Melis told the Oireachtas Joint Transport Committee that it should be easy to build such a system here, and that it could be done very quickly and at a very low cost.
He predicted that the first six kilometres of underground line could be built within 15 to 18 months, and also advised the Committee that work should start as quickly as next February.
Professor Melis said that people could be commuting on the metro here by Christmas 2006.
Yesterday, the Railway Procurement Agency reduced downwards its estimated costing for the new rail system from €4.8 billion to €3.4 billion.
The Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Transport Minister Seamus Brennan were yesterday briefed by transport officials from Madrid.
