Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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209. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out the position regarding the DART underground project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37508/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Railway Order for DART Underground is valid until 2024 but a High Court Judgement earlier this year has ruled that the period for serving Notices to Treat for the purpose of compulsory purchase of property under the Order should be 18 months rather than the 7 years set out in the Railway Order.  This means that a decision on whether to proceed with DART Underground under the current Railway Order must be made by September 2015. DART Underground is now being reviewed and assessed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with other large public transport projects for the Dublin area. The 2010 business case for DART Underground is currently being updated and will be based on the latest data on population, transport demand, construction costs etc.

The NTA have advised me that the DART Underground report and the outcome from the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study and the preliminary Business Case for the BRT to Swords will be available by early next year.

Following receipt and assessment of the reports I will then consider the options and priorities for addressing key public transport deficits in the GDA having regard to the costs and benefits and affordability of each project as well as funding sources and options including private funds, EIB loans and EU grants.

Significant additional Exchequer resources will be required to advance any new major project irrespective of the availability of private or EU funds. With existing funding levels the key priority is to protect investment made to date and to maintain safety standards. If additional funds become available, there will be many competing projects from all transport modes in all regions.

I will prioritise any additional funds for projects for which there is a clear need, which are affordable, have a sound business case and add value to existing infrastructure. I would expect that there will be public transport projects in the Dublin region which will meet these criteria if funds are available.