Those who would actually use the proposed Dublin underground system will shortly be able to give their views on the plans to build a railway tunnel underneath Dublin city centre.

A public hearing begins this month with An Bord Pleanala opening an oral hearing into the €3bn DART underground project which is expected to last for at least a month.

Almost 280 parties have made submissions including government departments, politicians and residents groups.

If approved by the board, it would result in the capital having two DART lines - one from Maynooth to Bray, and a second from Hazelhatch/Celbridge to Howth.

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Iarnrod Eireann said that if the Government approves the €3bn project, the equivalent of 25 million car kilometres will be taken off the roads and there will be 30 fewer road collisions in the capital.

The confidential business report also says that 2,000 jobs will be located around each of the five underground stations at Spencer Dock, Pearse Street, St Stephen's Green, Christchurch and Heuston "as a conservative estimate".

The DART underground linking rail services between Heuston and Connolly stations will have a major beneficial impact on traffic congestion and will cut pollution from emissions.

The system was to be built by 2015 but has been delayed until 2018 because of a longer than expected planning and design process and because the Government also has to give the final green light to the project.

(BMcC/GK)