Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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611. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the planned extension of the DART to Balbriggan, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21704/17]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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612. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the DART interconnector and DART underground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21705/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together.

The National Transport Authority's (NTA) 'Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035' proposes implementation of the DART Expansion Programme which will provide DART services as far north as Drogheda, to Hazelhatch on the Kildare Line and to Maynooth in the west and to the M3 Parkway. The NTA is preparing an Implementation Plan for the delivery of the GDA strategy for the period 2017-2022.

The DART Expansion Programme also incorporates the DART Underground Tunnel (previously known as the DART Interconnector). The Government decided in September 2015 that the original proposal for the tunnel should be redesigned to provide a lower cost solution and work is underway on that at present.

Funding for some elements of the DART Expansion Programme is included in the Government's Capital Plan including funding for the extension of the DART to Balbriggan on the Northern line and for the redesign of the DART Underground Tunnel.

The NTA in collaboration with Irish Rail has commenced work on the pre-planning stages of the DART Expansion Programme. A project team has been established and will develop a programme of work that can be delivered on an incremental basis in line with available funding. Subject to availability of funding and approval of the detailed business case for the project, it is envisaged that the extension of the DART to Balbriggan would commence in 2020.

With regard to the Underground Tunnel, work has commenced to determine the optimal connection location for the tunnel to tie-in to the Heuston Mainline. Other work is also ongoing in relation to tunnel variants.