Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a commencement date for the extension of DART+ from Maynooth to Kilcock. [3445/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the DART+ Programme and its constituent projects.

In respect of the potential further extension of the DART to Kilcock, an extension is included as an objective in the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in this matter and the specific issue raised by the Deputy, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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231. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide any relevant information on the extension of the DART+ from Maynooth to Kilcock. [3446/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the DART+ Programme and its constituent projects.

In respect of the potential further extension of the DART to Kilcock, an extension is included as an objective in the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in this matter and the specific issue raised by the Deputy, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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232. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, in light of the commitment in the Programme for Government to review the National Development Plan and consider new public transport projects as part of that review, he will support the extension of the Luas red line to Poolbeg, as cited at page 150 of the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy as part of that review; if he agrees that a joined up approach between the 3FM Dublin Port project that is currently before An Bord Pleanála, and includes a proposed ‘Southern Port Access Route’ which involves the construction of a bridge, and the extension of the Luas red line to Poolbeg has merit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3469/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including light rail.

The NTA’s Transport Strategy for the GDA 2022-2024 sets out a framework for transport investment across the region over a 20-year period. As the Deputy may be aware, the development of a Luas red line extension to serve Poolbeg is part of the strategy’s longer-term proposals, for development and delivery within the 2037-2042 timeframe. It is part of a number of proposed Luas network extensions for the period up to 2042. In the planning and design of the extension of the Luas to Poolbeg, existing and future major developments in the Poolbeg area will be considered.

I understand that the 3FM Project is focused on developing additional port capacity on port-owned brown-field lands on the Poolbeg Peninsula, with a planning application to An Bord Pleanála submitted in July 2024. This project covers the major works that need to be delivered in the south port so as to deliver the Masterplan 2040 capacity provision. The 3FM Project includes the construction of a new bridge across the River Liffey as part of the Southern Port Access Route (SPAR), removing heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), port and commercial traffic from existing public roads leading to and from the Tom Clarke Bridge, while giving pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users 7km of cycle and pedestrian routes for active travel across the Poolbeg Peninsula and River Liffey. If granted planning permission, completion of the overall 3FM project is anticipated by 2040. This is in line with the National Development Plan, National Ports Policy and the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy.

The new Programme for Government commits to reviewing and enhancing the National Development Plan (NDP) to deliver on existing strategically important transport infrastructure commitments, and consider the needs of new or accelerated potential projects and programmes. This NDP review may examine the need for further investment in light rail in this context, such as the extension of the Luas to Poolbeg.