2026-04-30

101. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the DART+ South West project; the progress to date; the way in which the project may be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31714/26]

I ask the Minister for Transport to give an update on the DART+ South West project, the progress that has been made to date, the way in which this crucial infrastructure project for my constituents in Dublin Mid-West may be expedited, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

As part of the wider DART+ programme, DART+ South West will provide an extension of electrified DART services from the city centre to Hazelhatch and Celbridge. I know this is a project the Deputy has supported from its genesis and he continues to do so. A major milestone was cleared in November 2024 when the project secured full planning approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála. Preparation for procurement for DART+ West and DART+ South West is progressing together. I want to be clear about that. Design and build pre-qualification questionnaires were issued in May 2025. Funding allocated under the national development plan sectoral investment plan, which was published last November, will see construction of the DART+ programme begin. I expect DART+ West will enter construction before the end of 2027. DART+ West is a critical enabler for the wider programme and must be advanced first, as it will provide an additional depot location and capacity for new fleet as well as the requirement enhancements to city centre rail capacity to support future services. I will return to this. Funding from the sectoral investment plan has also allowed compulsory purchase orders for DART+ South West to commence in February this year. Procurement for DART+ West is progressing in a way that ultimately assists with DART+ South West, in that it is intended the framework contracts being established for DART+ West will also be used for DART+ South West. I want to see this being done in tandem. In addition to sectoral Exchequer capital allocations, which the Deputy has been pushing for and on which we met on a number of occasions, my Department will continue to explore opportunities to advance this and bring it forward. DART+ West is an enabler for DART+ South West. Within our sectoral ceilings we do have some flex and I believe we can bring this project forward. We need to get the compulsory purchase order, CPO, work done and we need to get DART+ West started in 2027. I believe that with continued work on this we could see DART+ South West starting in 2028. Both of them interact with each other, as the Deputy knows, and I will be working with the Deputy to ensure that we do.

I welcome that response. The Minister's successor as the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, was in the constituency this week in Clonburris and Adamstown. He saw the scale of housing being delivered and the importance of the infrastructure that enables that housing. One such project is DART+ South West. Coming from a commuter constituency the Minister will know full well that commuters in my constituency who use stations like Kishoge, Adamstown, Clondalkin Fonthill, and Park West are the people who want to use public transport in the morning. Carriages are full so we know the demand is there. DART+ South West is something we must prioritise. I welcome the movements made on the CPO work being rolled out. I welcome the work being done to ensure that procurement will not be delayed if and when funding becomes available for this. I also welcome the Minister's commitment to bring this forward as far as we can to ensure that those commuters who do not want to sit in traffic on the roads around Lucan and Clondalkin are served well by a train station. I will work with the Minister to continue doing that but I will also fight the corner for these commuters who need a good, reliable and, crucially, a frequent train service to enable their commutes and to get the congestion off our roads.

I agree completely with the Deputy. The work that is happening now is critical to advance the project. In fairness, the Deputy has been working directly with us on this and advocating for his constituency. Deputy Moynihan is right. Given the number of houses and the development that is happening out there and in Adamstown the whole area has grown substantially over the last years and this needs to be supported by DART+ South West. Working with the Deputy, we will ensure that we do that. DART+ West is critical, as is DART+ South West because they do interact with each other. I believe we can bring this project forward and I want us to do that. We have allocated the funding we need in order to do what we need to this year and next. It is about bringing it into construction. I am confident we can do that. I want to get over the milestones of the CPO. We want to get to the commencement of the enabling works as well, which will be happening too. We will see construction start in 2027 on DART+ West. Shortly after that, with movement in our sectoral ceiling that I think we can do, we can get DART+ South West into construction in 2028.

I thank the Minister. For the record of the House, I have seen the work being done to advance the CPOs and the enabling works. The Minister has outlined the important step, which is crucial, that procurement for DART+ South West and DART+ West is done in tandem. We cannot afford to lose any time in this if and when funding becomes available. I want to thank the Minister for his personal commitment to try to bring the funding forward for this. I will work on this directly with the Minister. I will take a moment to point out the additional benefits of the DART+ South West project not just for my constituency in Dublin Mid-West where will it be a crucial enabler, but also for intercity trains coming from the western part of the country. The four track system that this will enable on the line will reduce the bottlenecks at Athlone and Heuston. They are all crucial pieces of infrastructure and investment that we need to do. The key point for me remains that we need to get this over the line as quickly as we can for the commuters who want to get out of the traffic that is already congested all around the roads in my constituency, and for those people who use stations like Kishoge, Adamstown, Park West and Clondalkin Fonthill, and all the commuters in Lucan and Clondalkin who are relying on this piece of kit who want to use public transport. Let us respond to that demand and put a strong service in place to deliver it.

In the national development plan one in every four euro being invested between now and the end of this decade, between now and 2030, is being invested in transport. We are investing in public transport like has never happened before. It is very much focused on our rail network because it is good particularly for commuters, good for quality of life, good to reduce congestion and good for climate. We are seeing record numbers of people using public transport and record numbers of people using the trains. I know from being out in the constituency with Deputy Moynihan and from meeting his constituents that there is an absolute desire and imperative to deliver this project. We are delivering it and we have started those enabling works now through the CPO work. I believe we will be able to bring this very shortly after, with construction on DART+ West and DART + South West. I will work with the Deputy on it. The Taoiseach has spoken to me directly on it too. He is fully supportive of the DART+ programme. Obviously there are also the other elements such as DART+ Coastal North and so on, but these two will be first. We will work together to make sure it happens.

Before we move on to the next question, I welcome all of the students in the Public Gallery. It is great to see you here this morning. I hope you enjoy your day in Leinster House and your visit. I particularly welcome the students from the Christian Brothers College in Kilkenny and their teacher, Mr. Murphy. You are all very welcome. Enjoy your day.