Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday published a bill establishing the Dublin Transport Authority. The DTA is a very sensible and positive step towards proper strategic planning for transport in the greater Dublin area.

However, commuter groups will rightly feel a certain sense of deja vu over the announcement, as Martin Cullen already launched the DTA to a fanfare of publicity in November, 2005.

And herein lies the problem for the beleaguered commuter — a sense that we are like Bill Murray in the film Groundhog Day.

As with Transport 21, today’s announcement isn’t about anything new.

Instead, it is a reheated, rehashed, relaunch of something that has been hanging in the air for the best part of the last 10 years.

It’s not so much a “new release” as a “classic hits” of transport policy.

In fairness to the Minister, Noel Dempsey is no Martin Cullen, and assuming Mr Cowen doesn’t move him up, down or out, he has the determination to see policies through.

However, for the thousands of commuters in the DTA’s orbit, the sooner he gets the Authority up and running, the better.