Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It might be the first time I have seen two Byrnes and two Farrells in the Chamber. We will start with Deputy Aidan Farrelly, to discuss DART+ projects in Kilcock and Sallins, County Kildare.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on this matter this evening and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, for his attendance. I appreciate it. The DART+ West project was touted as the first of the projects of the broader DART+ programmes that would be delivered. It is a much-needed rail line improvement. It is an important project for north Kildare in that it would provide a sustainable and enhanced rail service for users. The project between Hazelhatch and Heuston is expected to increase hourly traffic from 5,000 to 20,000 commuters alone. Kildare commuters have the second longest commute in the State. It is hoped that the project will improve capacity on the Maynooth and M3 Parkway lines into Dublin's existing and to-be-expanded DART network. The DART+ West network applied to An Bord Pleanála for a railway order in July 2022. Since its inception, communities in Kilcock and Sallins have campaigned for the inclusion of their towns in the first phase of this roll-out, because it makes no financial or engineering sense to bring these services as far as Maynooth, Hazelhatch and Celbridge without going that extra little bit to Kilcock and Sallins and Naas. I am sure Deputy Ó Fearghaíl would say to bring it to Newbridge while we are at it.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Do not forget about Athy.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

For months, concerned residents of Kilcock and many other towns spoke about the vitality that this service would bring. It is seen as an essential part of the development of Kilcock and indeed wider north Kildare. All along, we were facing the prospect of the DART+ having its depot in Kilcock but no service in Kilcock. Now that this is off the cards, where will this depot go? It can go to the other side of Kilcock, to Enfield. There are many opportunities for a park-and-ride service. I acknowledge that the delivery of this extension to Kilcock is dependent on the service and delivery of the DART+ West project in general, but some sort of pre-planning can be done in tandem with the existing process that is under way.

We are told that an extension of DART+ is an objective of the National Transport Authority. While it is welcome that this is in the greater Dublin area transport strategy, the timeline for the railway order to the end of this is 20 years. That is a generation of more than 100,000 commuters who do not have that option. While the private car remains the most popular mode of commuting in Kildare, we have seen an increase in the use of public transport between the most recent two census profiles. Much of that is down to the increase in provision of bus services and accessibility to existing rail services. I commend previous Governments on their work and significant investment in that, because it has to be noted that there has been a significant increase in public transport services in Kildare. However, we are told that the DART+ project will require additional funding to that provided for in the current national development plan. Has this been estimated yet? I understand that a mid-term review of the national development plan was or is to happen. What is the update on this?

Last year, the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, announced that funding had been secured to prepare for the future roll-out of the DART to Sallins, Naas and Kilcock. I welcome this wholeheartedly. What does it mean exactly? Are details available? Will the Minister of State confirm that the contingency of the DART extending was and is not dependent on the depot being in Kilcock?

When can people reasonably expect to see DART trains in Kilcock, Sallins and Naas?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking for the Minister for Transport, and I apologise that he is not here. It is an important matter. Having been a student In Maynooth, I have seen the growth of Kilcock, Sallins and Maynooth.

Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens' quality of life and achieving our decarbonisation goals. Achieving these goals has been set out in the programme for Government. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for transport planning in the greater Dublin area, including County Kildare. The NTA's greater Dublin area transport strategy, which was approved by the Minister for Transport in January 2023, sets out a framework for transport investment across the region over a 20-year period from 2022 to 2042. It also provides a clear statement of transport planning policy for counties including Kildare.

I clarify the planned proposals related to the DART+ West and South West projects and the current position of the proposals in the planning and development stage. The DART+ West project aims to increase passenger capacity on the Maynooth and M3 Parkway rail lines. This will be achieved by changing to electrified, high-capacity DART trains and increasing the frequency of train services between Maynooth Station and M3 Parkway Station to Connolly Station and to a new proposed Spencer Dock station. The project also included the construction of a new DART depot facility.

A planning decision, called a railway order, was granted by An Bord Pleanála for DART+ in July 2024 subject to a number of conditions, notably that the proposed depot west of Maynooth not be constructed due to concerns about flood risk. Iarnród Éireann and the NTA are engaging on the submission of a new railway order to An Bord Pleanála for the proposed depot. There are also two judicial reviews lodged in the High Court against the granted railway order. These issues are being examined before a decision on the next steps is made.

The DART+ South West project involves the electrification of the Kildare line from Dublin Heuston to Hazelhatch-Celbridge, the provision of four tracks between Heuston Station and Park West and Cherry Orchard, and a new station at Heuston west. A railway order was approved by An Bord Pleanála for this project late last year and Iarnród Éireann is now working to progress the preparation of procurement documents for this project to enable later construction.

While neither Kilcock nor Sallins are included in the extended electrification works proposed under the DART+ programme, consideration has been given to the efficient, effective and sustainable movement of people and goods in the greater Dublin area. Since the submission of the railway order applications for the DART+ West and DART+ South West projects to An Bord Pleanála, the new Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042 has been finalised and adopted. The new strategy includes an objective to extend the DART system further westwards to Kilcock, Sallins and Naas. It is intended that the extension of the DART to Sallins and Naas would be linked with the provision of a major park and ride site, in the order of 1,000 spaces, on the Sallins bypass, with the potential of a new train station to be developed alongside the park and ride.

The proposed extensions to Kilcock and Sallins and Naas will be developed as a separate follow-on project to the DART+ programme. Planning work on these extensions could commence this year. The exact timelines for these two extensions will be developed as design and planning work gets under way. The projects will also be advanced subject to funding and securing relevant approvals, and as such the Department of Transport will consider them as part of its submission to the review of the national development plan, which is planned to take place later this year.

I would be happy to have officials in the Department talk to the Deputy further to his submission this afternoon.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. I appreciate that. Like him, I have spent a lot of time in Maynooth over the years as a student and educator. What emphasises the need for Kilcock and south Kildare is that sometimes it is quicker to get from Dublin city to Maynooth than from Kilcock to Maynooth. That is because the public transport might let you down or is not interlinked. That really emphasises the need for this service to be rolled out. I appreciate it is now included in that strategy, but the concern for many in Kilcock and Sallins is that the timeframe for that strategy is potentially 20 years away. We need it urgently. We need it much sooner than that. If there are ways in which we can incorporate those towns into the existing works, it would be appreciated, and there is an evidence base for that. I would love to engage further with the officials in the Department and I appreciate the Minister of State for his time and effort.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I again thank him for his engagement and the Topical Issue submitted. In terms of current developments, the DART+ West and DART+ South West projects are moving to the next stage in light of recent planning decisions. An Bord Pleanála has given conditional approval for the DART+ West and full approval for the DART+ South West railway order applications. While it should be noted that the two judicial review applications to the railway order approval for DART+ West have been lodged, Iarnród Éireann is now working to progress the preparation of procurement documents for both projects to enable later construction. Iarnród Éireann and the NTA are also engaging on a new railway order for a depot.

While neither Sallins nor Kilcock is currently included in the DART network under the DART+ programme, the requirement to extend the DART service to both locations has been recognised in the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042. These extensions to DART services will be developed as separate follow-on projects to the DART+ programme, subject to securing relevant funding and approvals. It is necessary to go through the full feasibility and opitoneering processes. I assure the Deputy that projects will be progressed in line with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines and that public consultation processes will be undertaken at appropriate stages as projects are progressed.

In the shorter term I look forward to the development of new battery-electric DART carriages ordered on the DART+ Fleet project, which has started testing, and they are expected to enter service in 2026 on the commuter line serving communities between Dublin and Drogheda. It is great to see public transport projects progressing and achieving the Government's goal to provide more sustainable transport options to the greater Dublin area in line with Government policy. I apologise to the Deputy that I did not have a copy of the script for him, but I am happy to give him my script.