Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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505. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps his Department is taking to ensure compliance with the EU’s TEN-T regulation requiring a mainline rail link to Dublin Airport by 2040; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42859/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Transport was actively involved in the drafting of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Regulation and is aware of the requirement that major airports with over 12 million passengers annually must be connected by long distance rail by 2040, bar in situations where an exemption is granted by the European Commission as set out in the legislation.

The MetroLink project will connect Dublin Airport to the heavy rail network at Glasnevin and Tara St stations. The project will therefore help deliver strategic connectivity for Dublin Airport across the island of Ireland.

The All-Island Strategic Rail Review, which was developed by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, and published in July last year, sets out a vision for the future of the heavy rail network on the island to 2050.

The final Review Report was published in July last year and among its recommendations is building a rail spur from Clongriffin to Dublin Airport. This intervention, which aims to complement MetroLink, is listed as a long-term intervention to be delivered in the 2040-2050 period.

Recommendations in the Review will be progressed subject to funding and relevant approvals as required under the Infrastructure Guidelines.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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506. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the Government's strategy to avoid potential EU infringement proceedings and fines related to the lack of a mainline rail link to Dublin Airport. [42860/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, Ireland has set ambitious targets of reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector by 50% relative to 2018 levels by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. In order to help achieve these targets, the Climate Action Plan sets out a range of transport measures based on an Avoid, Shift and Improve framework.

Providing high-capacity frequent public transport projects, including DART+, BusConnects and MetroLink, forms a key part of the Shift element of this framework, which aims to shift people towards using more sustainable public transport.

MetroLink will provide a high-capacity public transport link to Swords and Dublin City Centre, serving key destinations, including Dublin Airport.

A significant milestone in the progression of the MetroLink project was cleared in July 2022, when the Minister for Transport secured approval for the project from the Cabinet under Decision Gate 1 of the then-Public Spending Code. This approval enabled the project to move to the planning application stage, and in September 2022 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) submitted a Railway Order application to An Coimisiún Pleanála. A planning decision is awaited from An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Another key milestone was reached in September 2024 when Dr Séan Sweeney started as the Programme Director for MetroLink. Dr. Sweeney has three decades in leadership roles on major infrastructure projects in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

Subject to securing planning approval, and no successful legal challenges, TII will prepare a Detailed Project Brief and Procurement Strategy for consideration at Approval Gate 2, in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines. Dependent on the outcome of the planning process, construction of MetroLink is earmarked to commence over the coming years with a view to operation around the mid-2030s.