Meanwhile consultation on changes to Finglas West and South routes started last Thursday, October 21, and will run until Sunday November 14 2010.

The changes are part of the Network Direct plan to reform and cut Dublin Bus routes.

Central to the proposals for both Ballyfermot and Finglas is a merger of current routes 40 and 78/a to make a new 40 r0ute which will link the two area via the city centre. It’s planned to operate at a frequency of 10 mins peek and 12 mins off-peek.

The new 40 will serve Finglas, Glasnevin, Phibsboro, Drumcondra, Dorset Street, O’Connell Street, Dame Street, St James’s Hospital, Inchicore, and Ballyfermot and the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

Another high frequency route will also serve each route.

Ballymun is to get a merged 79/a which will be called 79 (10 mins peek and 15 mins off-peek). It will run from Park West to Beaumont Hospital on the northside, via Heuston Rail Station, O’Connell Bridge, Connolly Rail Station and Fairview.

On the Finglas consultation, a new high frequency orbital route 17a will be formed from merging the 17a and 220 buses. At 10 mins peek and 20 mins off peek, it will link the Blanchardstown Centre, Connolly Hospital, Ballycoolin, Cappagh Hospital, Finglas, Ballymun, DCU, Santry, Beaumont Hospital and Howth Junction & Donaghmede railway station.

For Finglas commuters travelling into the city, the new 40 route will be supported by capacity from a 40D route to Parnell Street running every 15mins at peek and 30mins off-peek.

For details on other changes and further details of the Ballyfermot route changes here and Finglas changes here.

The exact number of jobs to be created is also unknown.

The Department of Communications said 140 jobs are expected to be created, but added that this figure may be conservative.

“Indeed, the 140 jobs figure is almost certainly an underestimate, as the potential applications that result from the network become apparent,” a spokeswoman for the Department of Communication said.

The job creation is being linked to the State funding of €5 million for the second phase of an advanced high-speed data network, under the name “Exemplar Network”.

This funding follows €5 million invested in the first phase of the project, a test facility in Park West Business Park in West Dublin. Phase two is to expand the network in the Dublin area.

The department said 30 to 40 jobs are expected to be created InTune, the company behind the technology, while a further 50 research positions will be created as part of the EU Framework Programme in DCU, UCD, UCC Tyndall, and NUI Galway.

It said that the remainder of the jobs will be created by technology and communication companies — EMC, Imagine, BT, IBM, Imagine, eNet, Firecomms, Opennet, and CeltixConnect — when testing their products on the network. Smart Telecom and ESB Telecom are also due to conduct tests on the network.

As with most reports from the Government on job creation, not all recruitment will begin for some time. The department said, “Testing begins almost immediately, so it is expected that recruitment and filling of posts will happen over the next year or so. InTune are currently advertising for new staff.”

It said, “[The] other announcements will be made on the individual websites, over the coming months.”

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan said at the launch of phase one that the network has the potential to create “thousands” of jobs.

“Such is the interest from industry and the arts, today I can say that we are investing an additional €5 million in the Exemplar, which will create 140 jobs in the short term. The further phases of this project have the potential to create thousands more,” said Ryan.

Ryan said, “This Government identified cutting-edge technology with the potential to transform the internet. We invested in it and ensured it was available on an open access basis for all to use.”

InTune’s fibre optic technology is multi-coloured, allowing faster data transfer compared to normal single-coloured fibre optics.

“IBM stated that it will create new employment at its Blanchardstown datacentre, by linking to the Exemplar [Network]. Imagine is also creating a new ‘hot centre’ in Parkwest, right beside the Exemplar test-bed, so that they can trial new products and services,” said the Department of Communications.

IMAGE: Communications Minister Eamon Ryan, photograph by Jason Clarke for the Department of Communication.

A greenway, for pedestrians and cyclists, along the Grand Canal between Inchicore and Lucan was opened today.

Although now officially opened, the greenway is not fully complete, with some construction still on-going.

The 8.5km off-road route goes from the Lock Road, near Adamstown and south Lucan, to the Blackhorse Luas stop at Inchicore. Areas along the route include Park West, Clondalkin, Walkinstown, and Ballyfermot.

The off-road track includes nature-sensitive lighting and 66 monitored CCTV cameras.

At the opening today, Cllr Mick Duff, lord mayor of South Dublin County Council said: “It provides for an alternative mode of transport and an active and passive recreation route while incorporating a 110kV cables providing a power supply for the West Dublin area stimulating further economic activity.”

As part of the project ESB Networks installed a high voltage 110kV cable to serve Grange Castle Business Park. The ESB said the company has installed secondary ducting for future proofing.

Also included in the construction were South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council and Waterways Ireland.

According to the group, the €25 million project included 136,000 meters of ducting, 1,000 trees, 44,000 shrubs, 308 lights, 16 bat boxes, 12 otter holts, and five jetties.

It is planned the route will eventually continue further into the city and into the Docklands. Dublin City Council is currently planning to build another section under the name Dublin Canals Cycle Route, this will go from Rathmines to Fairview Park on the northside where it will link up with part of the planned Sutton to Sandycove cycle route around Dublin Bay.
View Grand Canal greenway in a larger map