Vol. 548 No. 2
151 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if consideration has been given to extending a loop rail link to the town of Naas, County Kildare having regard to the fact that such a facility previously existed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4829/02]
I have been informed by Iarnród Éireann that the rail link between Sallins to Naas was closed in 1959 and the infrastructure for such a line no longer exists.
Accordingly, under the current proposals to develop the Kildare line, Iarnród Éireann does not propose to provide a loop line to Naas. However, it is proposed that the Naas area will be served by enhanced station facilities at Sallins Station which will have a higher frequency of services than at present, as detailed in the Dublin Transportation Office's Strategy – A Platform for Change.
152 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the extent to which the commuter rail service, serving Sallins and Celbridge meets demands; her proposals for enhancement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4830/02]
Iarnród Éireann accepts that following many years of under-investment in the rail network that demand exceeds capacity on the Kildare to Dublin route for commuters.
The national development plan provides for the upgrading of the Kildare-Dublin suburban line by quadrupling the rail track between Hazelhatch and Sallins to separate long distance and commuter services on the Kildare line and developing Heuston Station for mainline and suburban services.
Iarnród Éireann informs me that planning and design is continuing on the project to provide additional capacity into Heuston Station. In the meantime, work has already begun to improve the infrastructure at Heuston Station to allow it to handle trains more efficiently by rearranging the trackwork at the station and increasing the number of platforms from five to nine.
