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THE DART+ WEST programme, which would see rail link improvements to Maynooth and infrastructure upgrades at both Connolly and the Docklands, has been approved by the Government.
The plan, which is funded under the National Development Plan, will also see the Maynooth line electrified and a new rail depot built near Maynooth to house additional Dart trains.
Approval of the project will see it move into the statutory planning system, with Iarnród Éireann currently considering submissions received during a recent public consultation process.
Iarnród Éireann are set to apply to An Bord Pleanála for a Railway Order in 2022.
The Dart+ West project is part of the Government’s overall Dart+ programme, which will see the length of the Dart network increase from 50km to 150km and double the passenger capacity to 52,000 people per hour.
The final budget and delivery schedule for Dart+ West will not be known until later on in the planning process, with the Government estimating its cost at between €969 million and €1.1 Billion.
The overall Dart+ plan will see rail lines to Drogheda and Hazelhatch electrified to allow for the Dart, as well as improvements to the existing Dart line to Greystones, like the removal of level crossings.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said that it was a “hugely significant decision” and that it will help transform public transport.
“This is a tangible demonstration of progress, which will transform public transport and help us meet our climate goals,” said Ryan.
“Dart+ will double capacity and triple the length of the commuter network in the Greater Dublin Area.
“Dart+ West, which will electrify the line to Maynooth is the first step and will also facilitate the development of the entire programme.”
Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority welcomed approval of the Dart+ project, saying that it will improve service frequency for those who use the Dart.
“Under Dart+, passenger capacity and service frequency will be vastly improved for people across the rail network in the Greater Dublin Area,” said Graham.
There are a total of five seperate projects within the Dart+ programme: Dart+ Fleet, Dart+ West, Dart+ South West, Dart+ Coastal North and Dart+ Coastal South.
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Problem is that the DUP see themselves as British. They are Irish born on the island of Ireland and even qualify for an Irish passport. They are Irish. Terrified at the thought of being seen as Irish! Their “mainland” sees them as an Irish problem and are dying to get rid of them. 65% of the north voted to remain but the DUP are trying to drag the population into a mess.
@Dave Phelan: very well said and factually correct…..I wonder what, if any, ideas proposals etc the poisonous DUP have suggested/submitted as a way of solving this as opposed to disagreeing with everything and sitting on their arses drawing salaries and cannot even agree to co-govern the six counties….
@Dave Phelan: Doesn’t the GFA give each and all natives of Northern Ireland the right to choose between British and Irish nationality?
If they consider themselves British then they’re British.
The veto which Unionists have had supporting the Conservatives on any kind of deal, even one that allowed them to “Divorce and go back at weekends for conjugal rights” meaning one which any other European country would have snapped the offer at once.. the stubbornly refused. What do they care if the no deal Brexit brings unemployment, misery to their dairy industry which would be deviated the chances of violence being given the excise it needs to return is very real .. but even if Northern Ireland whose majority voted to remain in the EU Even if the Unionists block every deal but a clean break and reduce their brothers in the Northern half of this country to living in an economic wasteland the Unionist MPs responsible will still get re-elected whatever disaster they bring down.
Too used to being in the position of power to understand what it is to concede. This will drag out into next year after Boris quits leaving the 4th Prime Minister to deal with BREXIT. Elections will see the DUP thrown under the bus in any negotiations.
It would certainly solve it, at least in the short term until “alternative arrangements” can be found. But it won’t happen because there are too many idiots in politics up north and in BJs cabinet. The best solution would be for Britain and the EU to come together and decide that a new treaty of Europe can be come up with over the next x amount of years and that will address the concerns of the British people, which in fairness are concerns of many Europeans, including pro EU people like myself. And Britain withdraws article 50 based on this. This would be a win for almost everyone.
When Teresa May made the comment re the Back Stop “No British Prime Minister could ever agree to that” She showed her lack of Knowledge of Irish/British relationship.The most famous of all British Prime Ministers Winston Churchill offered a United Ireland to DeValera if he would enter the Second World War on the side of Britain.DeValera declined but the Unionist Leader Craig was flabbergasted and deemed it a gross act of treachery.
Paul Connolly
@Paul Connolly: You are correct that Churchill did indicate that if Dev could give back control of the ports to the British for to use during the war and support the UK then after the war then they could ‘discuss’ the question of Northern Ireland. But this was so relatively soon after Ireland had secured Independence – so soon after the wounds of Civil War and so opportunistic by a British Prime minister that it smacked exactly as all the other British promises had going back to the debates in UK about Home Rule – not to mention the fact that Churchill would almost certainly not been able to actually deliver by getting that approval of Unionists and the Uk parliament….so Dev was quite correct not to bite ( imagine the reaction in ireland if he had – we are giving the british the ports back but is ok lads in a fews after the war they promise to discuss the North ? And what happened to Churchill after the war ? Quelle supris ??? He was chucked out of power and most certainly couldn’t have delivered the ‘Nation Once Again’ he suggested after a few whiskies when he desperately needed the Irish ports !! Now the rest of the EU and the world can see how the British handle the North – as we Irish have seen for hundreds of years – with disdain as they always use it for power struggles in Westminster. Nothing much has changed there in hundreds of years in the attitude to Ireland.
And the key to that is Arlene or at-least it was when May was shilling her deal.
I don’t know what a backstop is …..
Is this still one closer step to a united Ireland I wonder ?
If Ian Paisley was capable of living with the idea of the people (Unionist community) of NI as British, while the cattle are Irish, I can’t see why that logic cannot be extended to goods and services. The electricity used by most DUP voters is Irish (from the Republic), and I haven’t noticed any DUP voters going off grid in protest, to protect the Union.
Have Scotland also wanted this solution extended to them ?
@Furze: Does Scotland run the risk as Northern Ireland does of the Good Friday Agreement being destroyed and sinking into a quagmire of violence ?. If it does then we can apply it to Scotland as well
@Furze: this is the issue which everyone seems to ignore,the SNP, have said that they will demand a similar deal to NI, and would be quite within their rights to do so,as this was never envisaged in any brexit deal it would be likely to scupper any agreement that was reached and would be seen as the road to independence by the majority of Scots who voted against devolution.this could precipitate an Ulster situation on the British mainland whichever would be a disaster for the UK.
@Bryen O Murchu: Scotland might be part of a union under one crown, but they are still a country in their own right. If they elect to go their own way (either with similar conditions to a Northern Ireland backstop or full independence) then ultimately you can’t stop them, just like the Europeans can’t stop the UK leaving the European Union. You can’t have it both ways.
if Bojo offers the DUP a few extra billion every year and a change of name for the back stop. They will see it as a way to move forward. Bojo will get a deal with the EU and come back to the UK having negotiated a deal and get it passed through parliament
have your say