Dublin is being promised a longer DART line, four new LUAS lines and a metro to Dublin Airport.
They are just some of the transport projects that have been laid out as part of a huge spending plan by the government over the next twenty years.
The National Planning Framework, announced by the government this afternoon, sets out a range of infrastructure projects that it's promised will be completed by 2040.
The €115 billion plan acts as a blueprint for the building of homes, schools, hospitals, roads and railways over the next 20 years.
Metro North
The single biggest project under this plan is the long-awaited Metro North line which will run from Stephen’s Green to Swords, via Dublin Airport.
It's promised the line will open to passengers by 2027, and will have eight underground stops and six overground, serving areas including the Mater Hospital, Drumcondra and DCU.
It will take 19 minutes to get from from O’Connell St to the Airport, and will run every two-and-a-half minutes.
Luas
It's understood four new LUAS lines will see trams travel out to areas including Bray, Lucan, Finglas and Poolbeg.
Minister Shane Ross says this announcement isn’t about pandering to people ahead of an election #Ireland2040 pic.twitter.com/gde7CjC5V7
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 16, 2018
The Transport Minister, Shane Ross said "in the next few weeks we will be begin preparatory work on the new Metro Link, which will ultimately connect Swords to Sandyford".
That line, it's promised, will bring rail access to Dublin Airport.
“Major public transport items such as Bus Connects and projects like the Metro Link and expanded DART and Luas services will ease congestion, lower carbon output and add greatly to the quality and standard of our transport system", Minister Ross explained.
Under the plan, more than €8 billion will be invested in our road network over the next decade.
Minister Ross has called the plan "coherent, well-costed and joined up" and promised the government "has the cash to deliver on it.”
Fianna Fáil's Public Expenditure Spokesperson has accused the government of repackaging dozens of previously announced projects.
Dara Calleary says The National Development Plan contains at least 179 previously announced projects and more than €40bn of funding which was already earmarked for infrastructure initiatives.
A Social Democrats representative in Castleknock and Blanchardstown has pointed out that some of the listed projects have been "promised and shelved before".
Aengus Ó Maoláin said the expansion of the DART to Maynooth "has been in discussion in one way or another since 1975."
"Stop announcing it and start building it", he demanded in reaction to today's announcements.
CLIMATE
- The government wants to see at least 500,000 electric vehicles on the roads by 2030
- There's a 22 billion euro investment overall
- No NCT cert will be issued for petrol or diesel or even hybrid cars after 2045
- Cycling and walking networks in Ireland's cities
- 940 million for flood defences
