DART+ Depot Next Steps

Further design development & option selection

The option selection and design development undertaken has led to the development of the Preferred Option which is the focus of this public consultation.  

Once the public consultation process is complete, all feedback and submissions received will be reviewed and assessed as part of the next stage of the design development. Following a full appraisal of the feedback, a public consultation feedback report will be prepared to document this process, and this will be incorporated into the Option Selection Report.  

All information gathered by the project team will be used to inform the design development of the project which will be the subject of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) (if required), Site Specific Flood Risk Assessment (SSFRA) (if required), and ultimately the draft Railway Order application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála.  

The Railway Order process 

The application to An Coimisiún Pleanála for a Railway Order is broadly similar to the planning process.  

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 Coimisiún 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 draft Railway Order Application to An Coimisiún Pleanála, the public are invited through public notices to make submissions which will be duly considered by An Coimisiún Pleanála as part of the decision making process.  

An Coimisiún Pleanála may conduct an oral hearing, to allow the public to provide further participation in the decision making process for this project. At an oral hearing the Iarnród Éireann project team will provide 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 Coimisiún Pleanála in Q4 2026.