Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 4

Written Answers. - Rail Services.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

81 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her plans to improve the frequency of commuter rail services serving Sallins and Hazelhatch in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10856/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Iarnród Éireann accepts that following many years of under-investment in the rail network, demand exceeds capacity on the Kildare to Dublin route for commuters. The national development plan provides for the upgrading of the Kildare to 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.

Work has already begun at a cost of €117 million to improve the infrastructure at Heuston Station during the next 18 months 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. When com plete this will allow an immediate improvement in services. In addition, Iarnród Éireann will, in the coming months, start taking delivery of 80 diesel rail cars which will be used to upgrade services and increase capacity on the Dublin suburban services later in the year. I understand a number of these new rail cars will be used on the Kildare line to provide increased capacity on entering service in 2003. Iarnród Éireann also informs me that planning and design is advanced on the project to provide additional track capacity on the Kildare line.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

82 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans for the improvement of commuter services on the Kilcock to Dublin rail link; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10857/02]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

83 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that the commuter rail link serving the towns of Enfield, Kilcock, Maynooth and Leixlip is adequate to meet requirements in terms of a major shift of passengers from road to rail; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10858/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together.

The Maynooth line was commissioned as a double track line in early 2000. A total of 20 diesel rail cars were delivered to Iarnród Éireann in 2000 for use on the upgraded Maynooth line. These new rail cars and associated track work have increased the capacity of the Maynooth line by over 100% at peak times. Investment on the doubling of the track on the line and the provision of 20 additional diesel rail cars amounted to approximately €55 million.

The next major project to impact on the capacity of the route is the upgrading of Connolly Station. This project, currently at the design and planning stage, sets out to increase the capacity of the line between Connolly and Pearse stations, thereby allowing extra trains, including trains serving the Maynooth line, operate through the city centre.