John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status and timeframe of proposals to electrify the Kildare train line from Hazelhatch to provide increased frequency of trains and capacity to meet the needs of future passengers resulting from new residential developments including the Clonburris and Adamstown strategic development zones, SDZs, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3286/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware. the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).

The NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035 proposes implementation of the DART Expansion Programme.  The overall DART Expansion Programme has a key role to play in delivering an efficient transport system.  When fully implemented the enhancements to the heavy rail system provided for in the NTA's Transport Strategy will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin with all of the lines linked and connected.  This integrated rail network will provide the core high capacity transit system for the region and will deliver a very substantial increase in peak-hour capacity on all lines from Drogheda, Maynooth, Greystones and Hazelhatch on the Kildare line.  As previously advised to the Deputy, the NTA has worked closely with South Dublin County Council on the transport elements included in the draft planning scheme for Clonburris SDZ. 

The Government’s budgetary framework for capital investment, as set out in Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021, was reviewed last year in the context of the Mid-Term Review of capital priorities, delivery and funding.  Following this work, Budget 2018 increased the multi-annual capital investment funding envelopes for the coming four-year period, including providing an enhanced capital envelope of €2.7 billion for public transport investment between 2018 and 2021.  This includes funding in the order of €230 million for mainline rail and DART capacity enhancement that will allow acceleration of the initial stages of the overall DART Expansion Programme, focussing particularly at this stage on providing additional fleet to enhance capacity, and extending the electrified DART system. Specifically, it will allow substantial progress on electrification of the Northern rail line as far as Balbriggan - now expected to be delivered in 2022 - and commencing work on the Maynooth line.  The remaining elements of the DART Expansion programme are being considered in the context of the 10 year investment plan that is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area and their previous response to the Deputy of 19th October 2017, I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the Authority for an update on the issue raised.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.