Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
141. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport when the recently announced battery-operated electric DART carriages will be delivered; the number of the 90 carriages purchased that will be allocated to Wicklow services; if any of those carriages will be provided for an expanded electric service to Wicklow town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63180/22]
View answerThe 90 new battery-electric train carriages, purchased under a Government-approved ten-year procurement framework between Iarnród Éireann and Alstom, are due for delivery in 2026.
As the carriages are battery-electric they can potentially be deployed to parts of the rail network without overhead electric wires, to help replace and decarbonise existing diesel-fleet operations. This adaptability means that the carriages could be used on lines in advance of overhead electrification or to extend the range of electrified services beyond the electrified network.
The flexibility of the carriages means that there is potential to use them at some stage in the future between Greystones and Wicklow and/or for Cork Area Commuter Rail, serving communities between Mallow, Cork, Cobh and Midleton, subject to available funding for necessary supporting infrastructure.
The precise deployment of the carriages will be examined and decided upon over the next two-to-three years, taking account of the cost, available funding and the broader DART+ strategy.
