Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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194. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the stage at which the DART+ to Drogheda project stands in terms of the appraisal by his Department of the capital project; if he will provide an updated assessment of the overall cost and timeline for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55572/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The DART+ Programme comprises five different, but complementary, projects of which DART+ Coastal Northis one. For the Deputy's information, the other four projects are :

- DART+ West;

- DART+ South West;

- DART+ Coastal South; and

- DART+ Fleet.

Naturally there is a sequencing to the delivery of these different projects as each sits within the overall Programme framework and it is also the case that the success of some of the projects depends on the early delivery of other projects.

My Department, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, are currently reviewing the DART+ Preliminary Business Case and I expect to bring that to Government before the end of the year for relevant Decision Gate approvals as required by the Public Spending Code.

Of the five projects, DART+ Westand DART+ Fleetare the most advanced and Government approval will allow DART+ Westenter the statutory planning system and also allow a contract to be signed in relation to DART+ Fleet.

The Deputy may wish to note that the initial DART+ Fleet order includes provision for battery-electric fleet which will be used on the Northern Line in advance of the electrification of the network under the DART+ Coastal Northproject. Design consultants have been appointed to the DART+ Coastal Northproject and next year will see the start of the non-statutory public consultation process in relation to the project, as has been happening this year with DART+ Westand DART+ South West.

I can assure the Deputy that Northern Line commuters will see enhanced services and capacity rolled out in the coming years through utilisation of some of the additional 41 rail carriages which will enter into service in 2023, the deployment of the new battery-electric fleet as mentioned under DART+ Fleetand ultimately a move toward a fully electrified network as part of DART+ Coastal North.