Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the extensive development currently under way at the new town site of Adamstown and the proposed opening of a new railway station on the Dublin to Kildare line in March 2007, which is intended to service the new inhabitants of the town as well as the current users of this train line, an expansion of train services to include larger trains and more frequent services is planned; if so, if such an expansion of services will take place from the opening of the Adamstown train station; if not, his views on the allocation of funding to facilitate the expansion of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8393/06]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Transport if bus services to cater for the new residents of Adamstown will come on stream; the funding which has been made available to Dublin Bus in order to cater for the new inhabitants of this town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8394/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together.

I am informed by Iarnród Éireann that it plans to provide a commuter service to and from Adamstown when the station opens next year. The station will be served by existing Kildare line commuter trains and the level of service will be optimized within the constraints of the existing double track layout taking due account of InterCity demands. The service will be upgraded and extended following completion of the four-tracking scheme on the line. The public inquiry for this project concluded on 2 February 2006. When I receive the inspector's report following the inquiry, I will be in a position to consider the granting of a railway order for the upgrade works. Subject to the outcome of this statutory process, Iarnród Éireann expects that the upgrade works will be completed by 2010.

The position regarding bus services is that on 20 January 2006, Dublin Bus submitted an application for funding to me for additional fleet requirements. This application takes account of projected growth in demand from the Adamstown area. I will make a decision on this application when the assessment of the application by my Department has been completed.