The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has announced the DART Underground project will not go-ahead.

Minister Paschal Donohoe T.D., said it will be redesigned to provide a lower cost technical solution for the project.

The estimated cost of the currently designed DART Underground Project is €3 billion and the cost of the currently envisaged DART Expansion Programme is €4 billion.

The decision has been made in the context of preparations for the next Capital Plan from 2016, the details of which are currently being finalised.

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The National Transport Authority (NTA), whose statutory remit covers the planning of public transport in the Greater Dublin Area, was requested to review the Dart Underground project in conjunction with the updating of the long term transport strategy for the GDA region. Based on the outcome of the updated business case, the NTA recommended that the project, which remains a key element of integrated transport for the Greater Dublin Area, be redesigned to provide a lower cost technical solution, whilst retaining the required rail connectivity.

Minister Donohoe said: "As Government works to further stabilize the public finances, we must continue to seek the best value for taxpayers’ money in everything we do. A project of such magnitude - in the order of €4 billion - has to be designed and delivered in a way that best ensures cost effectiveness for the taxpayer and the State."

(CD/LM)