Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Transport if the proposals from Iarnród Éireann to electrify the Maynooth suburban rail line and the provision of a new train station at Spencer Dock, which will increase frequency on the Maynooth suburban rail line have been approved; the cost of same, the likely delivery date of the projects; the reason a separate business case is required for each individual project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32499/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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A phased approach to the development of Maynooth suburban services is incorporated in Transport 21, the ten-year transport investment framework announced on 1 November. The city centre resignalling project will be completed in 2009. This will deliver four extra train paths per direction per hour, an increase from 12 to 16, into Connolly Station, which operates at capacity. At least one of these extra paths will be allocated initially to the Maynooth line. Later in 2009, the first phase of the Navan rail link will also be completed. This involves opening a spur off the Maynooth line from Clonsilla to Dunboyne and the construction of a new city centre station in the Docklands. When the new station is completed, Iarnród Eireann will operate western line services to Connolly and the new station in the interim period pending completion of the interconnector. This will allow for much-improved frequency patterns on the line.

As part of the interconnector project, the line as far as Maynooth will be electrified so that DART-standard service frequencies and capacities may be operated on the line. A programme for the acquisition of electric railcars for the additional DART services is also included in Transport 21. The interconnector project and associated electrification is scheduled for completion in 2015 Because this phased approach is designed to accommodate short, medium and long-term capacity demand on the Maynooth corridor, each project must stand on its own merits. For that reason, separate business cases for each individual project are required under the Department of Finance guidelines for capital appraisal. However, each business case will also consider the long-term return on the investment that will undoubtedly accrue as short-term benefits are optimised with the roll-out of the individual projects. Each project will be the subject of a procurement process and I am not prepared to give details of the costings included in Transport 21 in advance of receipt of tenders.