Cash in place for liffey cable car

The company behind the Liffey cable car proposal has the money in place to fund the project, it has been revealed.

Despite the difficult economic conditions, the Liffey Cable Car Company is ready and able to proceed with the €52m 'Suas' scheme - and the firm is even planning similar projects in other cities in Ireland and in New York.

The ambitious proposal would see cable cars gliding over the Liffey at heights of 80 metres.

All the company needs is the go-ahead from Dublin City Council after it lodges a planning application and it can proceed, said Paddy Duffy, who has been working with the company on the plans.

The tourist attraction, which is inspired by the London Eye, is the brainchild of developer Barry Boland. "Mr Boland is not looking for any public money at all. He has the sizeable amount of money necessary for the project already in place" - Mr Duffy said.

"The next step would be to approach Dublin City Council to see if the officials will support it. That is where the project is at the moment" - he added.

The company is looking to hold pre-planning consultation meetings with the local authority. If given the go-ahead, Suas will run from Heuston Station to the Docklands.

A presentation of the plan was made to the economic special policy committee earlier this year and was well received by councillors, Mr Duffy said. "The team was very heartened by the positive reaction of the engineering committee of the council when they presented it to them" - he added.

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