Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the decision to allow the DART underground railway order to lapse was a mistake that could ultimately waste millions of euro; and the progress being made on redesigning a lower cost solution to the tunnel portion. [41969/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As I have previously advised the Deputy, following a review of the business case for the DART Underground project and the recommendation of the National Transport Authority (NTA) following that review, the Government decided in 2015 not to activate the Compulsory Purchase Order powers of the Railway Order for the project and, instead, to seek a new Railway Order for a lower cost revised scheme.  

The NTA identified that the DART Underground project could be redesigned to provide a lower cost technical solution for the project, whilst retaining the required rail connectivity.  That decision was informed by the fact that the Business Case for the project indicated that the tunnel was not economically justified on its own in the absence of the larger DART Expansion Programme.  The DART Expansion Programme includes the tunnel link plus the extension of DART services to Drogheda, Maynooth and Hazelhatch, with an overall cost in the region of €4 billion. 

Due to constraints on funding, not all elements of the DART Expansion Programme can be progressed during the lifetime of the current Capital Plan.  Funding has been allocated for work on the redesign of the tunnel and for the extension of the DART to Balbriggan. 

The NTA has commenced work on the redesign of the tunnel in collaboration with Irish Rail and will progress this redesign work in line with available funding.  Work has commenced to determine the optimal connection location for the tunnel to tie-in to the Heuston Mainline.  Other work is also on-going in relation to tunnel variants.

The decision to prepare a lower cost solution for the project remains valid and the NTA, together with Irish Rail, are committed to developing a more affordable project.  The work previously undertaken in relation to the project will have value when the redesigned project proceeds.