Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Following a review of the business case for the DART underground project and the recommendation of the NTA following that review, the Government decided in September 2015 not to activate the compulsory purchase order powers of the railway order for the project and, instead, to seek a new railway order for a lower-cost revised scheme. The NTA identified that the DART underground project could be redesigned to provide a lower-cost technical solution for the project, while retaining the required rail connectivity. That decision was informed by the fact that the business case for the DART underground project indicated that the tunnel was not economically justified on its own in the absence of the larger DART expansion programme. The DART expansion programme includes the tunnel link plus the extension of DART services to Drogheda, Maynooth and Hazelhatch, and has an overall cost in the region of €4 billion. Due to constraints on funding, not all elements of the DART expansion programme can be progressed during the lifetime of the current capital plan. Funding has been allocated for the extension of the DART to Balbriggan and for work on the redesign of the tunnel. Other elements of the programme will be considered in the context of the review of the capital plan this year. The NTA has commenced work on the redesign of the tunnel in collaboration with Irish Rail and will progress this redesign work in line with available funding. Currently a study to re-examine tunnel size options is nearing completion and the NTA will shortly commence an assessment of the optimum tie-in arrangements between the tunnel and the existing surface tracks on the Kildare line. Other work is also ongoing in respect of tunnel variants. That decision to prepare a lower-cost solution for the project remains valid and the NTA, together with Irish Rail, is committed to developing a more affordable project. The work previously undertaken on the project will have value when the redesigned project proceeds. I am informed by the NTA that all of the tunnel options under consideration at this stage envisage an underground station for the DART underground at or near to the existing Pearse Street station. 

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