Transport Minister must explain unacceptable delays for DART South West and Finglas Luas

The Green Party has called on the Minister for Transport to explain why crucial public transport projects that have already been given planning permission are now being delayed under the new Transport Sectoral Plan, published yesterday (26 November).

Green Party Transport spokesperson, Cllr Feljin Jose, stated:

“DART+ South West was granted permission in November 2024. Under the Government’s proposal published yesterday, it will not even go out to public procurement till 2028. It will not go to construction until 2030 at the earliest. That is a five year gap between permission being granted and work starting”.

“The Finglas Luas was granted permission in October 2025, only four weeks ago. There was huge excitement at that announcement. But under the Government plan, this project will not go out to procurement until 2027, and will not start construction until 2029. A four year gap between permission being granted and work starting”. 

“How can the Minister for Transport justify such delays? Why is he abandoning communities in Finglas, in west Dublin and across Kildare”, concluded Cllr Jose. 

Green Party Leader, Roderic O’Gorman stated:

“Worst of all, plans for critically needed high capacity transport infrastructure are being long-fingered in places where the State has already invested enormous sums building new housing. DART+ South West is mission critical for the proper connectivity of the State’s largest new housing developments which are being built along the Heuston line, like the 10,000 new homes at Clonburris. This is a site at which the State itself is already investing millions through LDA and URDF financing”.

“Finglas Luas is meant to connect the new communities of Charlestown to the City Centre”. 

“These decisions will condemn thousands to poor connectivity, sending many to their cars, which is already happening for people living in Adamstown and other new large developments along that line. Long-fingering DART+Southwest, while adding thousands of new homes along that line, will only make those problems so much worse”, concluded Deputy O’Gorman.