DART+ South West Next Steps

The option design and design development undertaken has resulted in a proposed design development that forms the basis of the Railway Order application. The feedback received during public consultation no. 2 has been considered in the design submitted in the Railway Order application (including feedback related to easy access at Heuston West and the main Heuston station). A public consultation no. 2 findings report has been prepared and included in the Railway Order application documentation. The final report for public consultation no.2 is available here.

The Railway Order Process

The application to An Bord Pleanála for a railway order is broadly similar to the planning application process, which most people are familiar with. 

The railway order application process is set out in the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 (as amended) and the application will be made to An Bord Pleanála. The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) will detail the nature and extent of the proposed project and identify and describe the impacts on the environment. It will also detail measures which will be taken to avoid, reduce and/or monitor these impacts. 

Following the submission of the Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála, the public will be invited to make submissions which will be duly considered by An Bord Pleanála as part of the decision-making process. 

We expect that An Bord Pleanála will conduct an oral hearing as part of the railway order application, to provide the public with further participation in the decision-making process for this project. At an oral hearing, the Iarnród Éireann project team provides responses to submissions and will be available for questioning. Any person or body may make a submission or observation in writing to the Board in relation to the railway order application including the EIAR and the Compulsory Purchase land requirements.

We expect to make the application to An Bord Pleanála in Spring 2023.

Property Acquisition

The DART+ South West Project will predominantly seek to confine the railway improvement works within the existing railway corridor. However, where works and modifications are required outside of the existing corridor, some land acquisition may be required i.e. widening of the railway corridor for four-tracking between Park West & Cherry Orchard Station and Heuston Station and the provision of new electrical substations (required to bring ESB power to the railway line).

We have completed an extensive program of consultations with the potentially affected property owners and if your property is likely to be directly affected by the works you should already have heard from us. Our Community Liaison Officer will be available throughout the process to ensure you are regularly updated on the current proposals and your views are taken into consideration as we progress the design development and environmental impact assessment.