James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

208. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 20 February 2025, if he will inform Dublin Port, and ask the National Transport Authority (NTA) to inform Dublin Port, that the NTA has instructed a company (details supplied) in the context of their live planning application which is before An Bord Pleanála; if he will seek a report from Dublin Port, which can be furnished to this Deputy, as to whether the proposed construction of a new bridge across the River Liffey as part of the southern port access route could involve a joint project with the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to facilitate the crossing of a Luas on such a bridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8989/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To inform the Deputy, I understand that Dublin Port engaged extensively with the National Transport Authority (NTA), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Dublin County Council with regard to the planning and design of the Southern Port Access Route (SPAR) bridge.

As requested by the NTA, the SPAR bridge has been designed so that it can be modified in the future to accommodate the provision of light rail, should it be decided that the preferred route of the proposed Luas to Poolbeg scheme should go via this route. The NTA has informed Dublin Port that it is satisfied that the proposed design of the SPAR bridge could accommodate a potential Luas line in the future.

The 3FM Project is focused on developing additional port capacity on port-owned brown-field lands on the Poolbeg Peninsula. Dublin Port submitted a planning application for the project to An Bord Pleanála in July 2024. As part of this application, a planning report on the 3FM Project provides more information on the proposed SPAR bridge being future-proofed to accommodate a potential Luas crossing of the Liffey. The report also contains information on the engagement between Dublin Port and the NTA on this matter.

As the Deputy is aware, the development of a Luas red line extension to serve Poolbeg is currently one of the longer-term proposals in the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2022-2042. The route for the potential Luas extension to Poolbeg has not yet been decided. TII are currently undertaking pre-feasibility analysis and the project will be subject to future route selection, planning, design, and appraisal work by the NTA.