To ask the Minister for Transport the position with regard to proposals for a rail link to Dublin Airport; if both a metro and a DART spur off the Howth line are under consideration; when a decision is likely to be made on an airport rail link; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Brendan Howlin. (Nominated by: Róisín Shortall).
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 7th December, 2004.
Ref No: 32329/04 Lottery: 38
Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Martin Cullen)
REPLY
The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments for the further development of the rail network and includes a specific commitment to develop a Metro for Dublin with a link to Dublin Airport.
Arising from the Programme, the Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business case for a Metro from the city centre to Dublin Airport while Irish Rail submitted to my Department in July last proposals for an integrated rail network in the Great Dublin Area. These proposals include the electrification of the Kildare and Maynooth lines, an interconnector tunnel linking Heuston Station to the Docklands to enable greater integration of rail services and a DART spur off the northern DART line to the Airport.
I expect the Government to consider these various proposals shortly, in the context of the developing needs of public transport in the Greater Dublin Area, the framework outlined in the Dublin Transportation Office "Platform for Change" and the extended 10-year multi-annual capital investment envelope for transport announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement.
