Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the sectoral investment plan will be ready for his Department with respect to public transport projects and the National Development Plan review; the funding which will be provided for the Navan Rail project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53731/25]

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, or NTA, has statutory responsibility for transport planning in the Greater Dublin Area, including County Meath.

The NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area sets out a framework for transport investment across the region over a 20-year period from 2022 to 2042. The issue of a rail connection between Dublin and Navan was re-examined as part of the development of the Transport Strategy. That re-examination supported the development of a rail line from Dublin to Navan and the final Strategy includes delivery of the line between 2031 and 2036, subject to planning and funding approvals.

I am pleased to confirm that in 2024 the NTA allocated funding to Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) for the establishment of a design team to commence work on the Navan rail line project. This work involves route option selection, planning and design phases of the project.

IÉ commenced the procurement process for this pre-construction phase of the project, and issued a tender to prequalified consultants at the end of May 2024. In November 2024, multi-disciplinary consultants RPS were appointed by IÉ for the duration of the project to work with the rail company’s in-house project team.

It is anticipated that a public consultation on the route options for the project will take place by early 2026. That process will ultimately recommend a defined route and support the development of a preliminary business case, which will need to be approved by Government, in line with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines, before any planning application.

The Navan Rail Line is being delivered by IÉ on behalf of the NTA, with funding for the project being provided by my Department through the NTA.

The Department of Transport's annual capital allocations from 2026 to 2030, and the Government's overall capital expenditure ceilings to 2035, were confirmed in the recently published National Development Plan Review 2025. My Department is reviewing key programmes and projects in the transport sector in the context of that capital funding envelope and a decision on a programme of delivery with this level of capital investment will be made in the coming months.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in relation to the Navan Rail line and the specific issues raised by the Deputy, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.