Written answers

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Rail Network

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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211. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects to be in a position to ensure that commuters in north County Kildare can rely on an increase in commuter rail capacity by one or other means over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62742/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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221. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total commuter passenger requirement on a daily basis to and from the various rail stations throughout north County Kildare; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to enhance the availability of rail services to these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62752/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 221 together.

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.

The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with the relevant public transport operator, i.e. Iarnród Éireann. Therefore, I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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212. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects extra rail carriages to be made available throughout the north County Kildare commuter belt in the course of the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62743/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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217. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total expected investment in the rail service throughout County Kildare with particular reference to increasing the services to meet increased demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62748/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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228. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which rail carriages on all lines throughout the country have been upgraded or are in course to so be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62793/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 212, 217 and 228 together.

As the Deputy is aware, Government continues to invest substantially in the rail network. This is apparent on several fronts:

- through the increased funding in recent years through the IMMAC for the safety and maintenance of the network;

- the very recent approval by Government of the Preliminary Business Case for DART+ Programme; and

- previous Government approval for the purchase of additional 41 ICRs.

All of the above will allow for increased services to meet increased demand not just in County Kildare but across the rail network.

The DART+ Programme will extend and enhance the current DART system and services west to Maynooth and Celbridge/Hazelhatch. The DART+ Fleetproject which will introduce electric and battery electric units to the DART network over time, and may allow for the introduction of DART services in County Kildare in advance of electrification of lines. It is expected that the delivery of the 41 additional InterCity Railcars will commence in Q3 next year allowing for enhanced services across the rail network when introduced into service in 2023.

As the Deputy will observe, new carriages and the subsequent redeployment of existing carriages will allow NTA and IÉ address the issue of growing demand. Specific to the Deputy's query on the upgrading of carriages, the operation, maintenance and renewal of the rail network is in the first instance a matter for Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) and noting same, I have referred the Deputy's question to it for detailed direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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213. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects to be in a position to ensure that the extension of the DART on the western route will continue to an area past Kilcock to facilitate the maximisation of space for parking and a wider catchment area with consequent beneficial impact towards alleviation of traffic concentration on roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62744/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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214. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he will influence the extension of the DART to facilitate the catchment areas of Kilcock and Enfield as requested by the vast majority of interest in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62745/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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215. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that the extension of the DART or other rail extensions will fully utilise the opportunity to provide increased capacity and frequency of commuter rail services to existing stations such as Maynooth, Kilcock, Leixlip, Confey, Hazelhatch and Sallins and in such a way as to ensure that as the population increases, enhancement of the services can become more readily achievable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62746/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the DART+ Programmeis a cornerstone programme of projects for the development of rail in the Greater Dublin Area. As well as DART+ West which the Deputy refers to, the Programme comprises of DART+ Fleet, DART+ South-West, DART+ Coastal (South)and DART+ Coastal (North)projects. Collectively these projects will extend and enhance the current DART system and services west to Maynooth and Celbridge/Hazelhatch, south to Greystones and north to Drogheda. In consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure including rail in the Greater Dublin Area, is progressing the various projects which are at different stages of planning and development.

The recent approval by Government of the DART+ Preliminary Business Case, permits the purchase of additional DART fleet and also permits the DART+ West project enter the statutory planning process, subject to the completion of the necessary planning and environmental documentation.

I obviously welcome Government’s approval of both DART+ Fleet and DART+ West and look forward to their progress in the coming years.

Further extensions to DART services in the years ahead are being considered as part of the NTA’s review of the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area which is currently subject to public consultation. The revised Strategy does propose extending DART services beyond Maynooth; however, any such extension is a separate project to the recently approved DART+ West.

The Deputy may recall, in addition to the DART+ Fleet project, Government had previously approved purchase of 41 additional InterCity Railcars. These additional carriages will arrive toward the end of next year and allow for enhanced services in the GDA upon entry into service in 2023.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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216. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that during the extension of DART and or other rail services throughout north County Kildare, a special effort is made to ensure that existing roads and bridges are properly realigned in order to continue to facilitate the existing and growing population and to ensure the minimum interruption of existing services in addition to the need to ensure that road or bridge realignments do not result in the creation of unused areas which might later become the focus for criminality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62747/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the first instance, including commuter rail and the DART+ Programme which includes the extension and electrification of rail services in County Kildare.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to it for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.

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