Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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100. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on when the new DART carriages will be coming into service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33954/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Preliminary Business Case for the DART+ Programme was approved by the Government at Decision Gate 1 of the Public Spending Code in December 2021. This decision permitted the purchase of new DART trains from Alstom, comprising 65 battery-electric and 30 electric carriages.

Battery-electric trains from this first fleet order started arriving into Ireland in Autumn 2024. These trains have started testing on rail track around Dublin and the safety testing will continue throughout this year. Deployment of these new carriages for passengers is expected to occur from next year on the busy Northern Commuter Line between Dublin and Drogheda. This will provide a noticeable and welcome boost to commuters along the route.

In November 2022, the Government approved a second DART fleet order from Alstom, for an additional 90 battery-electric carriages. These carriages will start arriving next year and will further boost train capacity in the Dublin area, with the precise deployment to be decided by the National Transport Authority, or NTA, and Iarnród Éireann.

In addition to the roll-out of the new DART+ Fleet, we are making good progress on the rest of the DART+ programme. A planning application for DART+ Coastal North was lodged last July, and we have received conditional and full planning approval from An Bord Pleanála for DART+ West and South West, respectively. Procurement is now advancing on the DART+ West and South West projects, ahead of planned construction in the coming years.

I look forward to working with Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to progress the DART+ Programme, covering new carriages, infrastructure and services. This will have huge benefits for rail passengers and the public in the wider Dublin area, doubling the city centre rail capacity and providing for a more accessible, efficient and sustainable public transport service.