Dublin's Luas tram system is celebrating its 10th birthday today. The system carried 30.5 million passengers in 2013 with an average of 80,000 people daily.
The numbers travelling on the system are expected to rise by another 10 million when the Luas Cross-City line is finished in 2017.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar (left) and Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly (right)
Transport and Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar says the new Cross-City scheme should bring further success.
The two current lines have 54 stops altogether and run for 36.5 kilometres. The central control room is located in the Red Cow Depot. and both lines are monitored from this location 24 hours a day by traffic supervisors.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar (right) with the first Luas, driver Eddie Byrne (left)
66 tram vehicles serve the Luas lines, which are manufactured in La Rochelle, France by Alstom Transport.
Singers from the Dublin Gospel Choir serenaded Luas passengers at the St. Stephen's Green stop earlier to mark the occasion.
There are also free cupcakes at selected stops and an online competition to win a daily prize of €1,000 over 10 days.
Eddie Byrne drove that first tram and says he has seen a number of changes over the last decade.
