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🇮🇪 Ireland /Energy & Infrastructure

More Than 200 Property Owners Face Compulsory Purchase Orders for DART+ West

From Irish Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • Irish Rail will contact 206 property owners between Spencer Dock in Dublin and Maynooth, County Kildare, as it seeks land for the DART+ West project.
  • The project will electrify and upgrade the railway, add a Spencer Dock station and target DART services at least every 10 minutes.
  • Residents and a local Fine Gael lawmaker have raised concerns about the closure of several level crossings and resulting detours or loss of vehicle access.

Irish Rail is preparing compulsory purchase orders for 206 property owners as it advances the DART+ West rail expansion between Spencer Dock in Dublin and Maynooth in County Kildare.

The owners will receive formal letters containing a legal “Notice to Treat” from Monday. Irish Rail is seeking parts of commercial and residential properties to improve the railway alignment and provide access during electrification works. In some cases, the land may be needed only temporarily for construction access.

a significant milestone

· Mary ConsidineThe Irish Rail chief executive described the compulsory purchase process as an important step in delivering DART+ West.

The project also involves closing several rights of way across the railway and altering or removing level crossings at Ashtown, Coolmine, Clonsilla, Porterstown, Blakestown and Barberstown. A new station is planned at Spencer Dock.

DART+ West forms part of a wider programme intended to expand the existing DART network from 50 kilometers to more than 150 kilometers. The upgraded network is expected to serve communities including Ashtown, Pelletstown, Broombridge, Castleknock, Coolmine, Clonsilla, Navan Road Parkway, Drumcondra, Leixlip, Maynooth, Hansfield, Dunboyne and the M3 Parkway. The project aims to provide DART services at least every 10 minutes.

key enabler

· Darragh O’BrienThe transport minister used the phrase to describe the project’s role in the wider DART expansion programme.

The project received statutory design approval in July 2024, and its permission became operative in June 2025 after a judicial review process. Irish Rail chief executive Mary Considine called the compulsory purchase process “a significant milestone,” while Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien described it as the “key enabler” for the wider programme.

couple of kilometres

· Emer CurrieCurrie described the possible detour created by the planned closure of the Clonsilla level crossing.

Residents in west Dublin have also expressed concern about the level-crossing closures. Fine Gael TD and assistant Government Chief Whip Emer Currie said the Coolmine plans appeared to offer no alternative vehicle route. She said the Clonsilla closure could require a detour of a “couple of kilometres,” while an underpass was planned at Ashtown. Barberstown and Blakestown crossings would close permanently, and Porterstown would close to cars while gaining a pedestrian and cyclist bridge.

“There is widespread support for Dart+ West and the electrification of the Maynooth rail line through Dublin West. If anything, there is frustration at the pace of delivery,” Currie said.

There is widespread support for Dart+ West and the electrification of the Maynooth rail line through Dublin West. If anything, there is frustration at the pace of delivery.

· Emer CurrieCurrie said residents support the expansion but are frustrated by delays.
About this summary

Originally published by Irish Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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