'It wasn't long-fingered, I can assure you': Minister defends Dart+ South West timeline

Darragh O'Brien: 'Dart+ Southwest is a critical project, and if we can accelerate it further, we will.' Photo: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

The transport minister has said the Dart+ South West plan has not been "long-fingered".

The Government has come in for criticism for its updated National Development Plan (NDP) allocation for the transport sector, with questions having arisen in particular about Dart+ South West, which aims to electrify the rail from Drumcondra to Hazelhatch along the Cork rail line.

Dart+ South West secured planning permission last November. At the time Irish Rail said in a press release that subject to funding it was “anticipated that construction will commence in 2026″. The Southwest project will see the current 12 trains per hour per direction increase to 23 trains per hour per direction.

It will bring peak capacity from approximately 5,000 passengers per hour per direction to approximately 20,000 passengers per hour per direction.

The NDP’s sectoral plan now estimates procurement for the project will begin by 2028/2029, before construction commences in 2030. Previous transport minister Eamon Ryan said the project would be open by the end of the decade, having said construction would begin in 2025.

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Speaking on Friday as he signed the contract for a BusConnects corridor linking Dublin city to Ballymun and Finglas, Darragh O'Brien said there was an issue with regards to storage of trains for the €1 billion electrification project and how it will interact with the Dart+ West plan to electrify the rail line to Maynooth.

"It's a very important project, and I want to see it delivered. It's clearly set out within the NDP, but there is an element with regard to how it interacts with Dart+ West, particularly with the depot and the storage of trains. So that's got to be worked through.

"It wasn't long-fingered, I can assure you. It is committed to, it is through planning which I'm glad of. We have flex within the NDP with regard to delivery time frames which are indicative.

"It is a scheme that I would like to see us advance, and I think that we can advance it. 

It is dependent, though, particularly on the storage of trains and the depots that come through in the Dart+ West, and that is what is a matter of an existing planning application.

He said there are other schemes, like Luas Finglas, which have been brought forward. 

"I was interested to read that someone said that that was delayed further. I've actually brought that forward. That's fully consented and will make a massive difference to about 60,000 homes in the area. 

"I think we can start that in this term, and we will fund it. But Dart+ Southwest is a critical project, and if we can accelerate it further, we will."

Roadside memorials

Mr O'Brien also said that his department is not looking to ban roadside memorials, but the National Roads Authority is reviewing their placement on roads of over 80km/hr.

"What it's looking at are measures with regard to roads that have speeds of 80 kilometers and more," he said. 

"So it's something on which a review is being done. I'm aware this is a really sensitive area for people, and particularly for families, where their family members or friends died in road traffic accidents. 

"So it's something that is being looked at through the National Roads Authority, who are the authority in this area and, I think, a sensitive engagement will be needed."