Design team for Navan rail line in place by summer

A DESIGN team for the long awaited Navan Rail Line will be appointed this summer the Oireachtas Committee on Transport was told last week.

The committee was also told by Iarnród Éireann CEO, Jim Meade that it was possible to deliver the project and have the line open late in this decade.

However, under the National Development Plan, work on the €750 million project is not expected to start until 2031 with completion estimated to be 2036.

Following last weeks' Committee hearing Deputy Darren O'Rourke said it was absolutely clear that Iarnród Éireann were very committed to this project and were ambitious to see it delivered in the quickest possible time frame.

He had been questioning Mr Meade and Paul Hendrick (Director of Capital Investments).

“I very much welcomed the opportunity to question Iarnród Éireann executives on the Navan Rail project. It was disappointing to hear that a design team will not now be appointed until Summer 2024, having previously read that they would be appointed early in 2024.

“Director of Capital Investments, Mr Hendrick, himself originally from Dunshaughlin, advised that the process of route selection and project design will take until the end of 2025. At that stage, a business case will be made to the Department of Transport and, if approved, an application for planning permission, a railway order will be made to An Bord Pleanála in 2026. Following that, it may take 12 or 18 months for a decision at An Bord Pleanála and the subsequent awarding of the contract for construction. This would take us into 2027. Following that again, it is expected that the 40km project would take approximately three or four years to construct.

“This is all very positive and will come as welcome news for long-suffering commuters in Co Meath. However, the fact remains that the National Development Plan is not funded to deliver Navan Rail in that timeframe. And that's before we consider the fact that projects that are prioritised out to 2030, are under-funded to the tune of tens of billions.

“It is clear that Iarnród Éireann is enthusiastic to deliver the Navan Rail project and it is readying itself to do that. It is not at all clear, however, if this government will ensure that the project is funded.

“In the words of Mr Meade, “What the government decides to fund is the government's call.”

“Indeed it is. It is high time this government matched Iarnród Éireann's ambition and increased National Development Plan funding to ensure that the Navan Rail project can be delivered in the quickest possible timeframe.”