Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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1077. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposed Kildare route project to facilitate increased rail capacity and frequency between Kildare and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34194/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).The opening of the Phoenix Park Tunnel Link in November 2016 has allowed train services on the Kildare line to directly access stations in the city centre including Connolly, Tara, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations.  In the initial period, peak hour services are being operated through the tunnel link.  The NTA has informed me that it is hoped to extend that arrangement to include off-peak and weekend services in a second phase later this year. The NTA's 'Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035' proposes implementation of the DART Expansion Programme involving electrification of the Northern line as far as Drogheda, the Kildare Line to Hazelhatch, the Sligo line to Maynooth in the west and to the M3 Parkway and construction of the DART Underground tunnel.  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; for design and planning to progress for expansion of DART services to Maynooth and Hazelhatch; and for work on the redesign of the tunnel.