Rail Investments Ltd is seeking planning permission to develop a multi-story office block on a site designated as a railway station for the DART Underground project.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Transport, Robert Troy TD, said the cost of purchasing the site is likely to be substantially higher if planning permission is granted for an office block.

Deputy Troy accused the Govt of allowing the railway order to lapse which has resulted in the proposed site for the new Pearse Station being sold to Rail Investments Ltd.

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He also called for the DART Underground project to go-ahead.

He said: "The project has economic benefits which reach far beyond the Greater Dublin Area. If completed, it will link up our southern and western rail-lines with the DART, eastern and northern rail-lines. It will more than double capacity on the Maynooth and Kildare route which in turn will enable more frequent and better integrated rail services. The project will also allow people to travel from Dublin Airport directly to Cork, Limerick and Galway.

"The previous Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe claimed that he was unconvinced by the business case for the project. This was a completely disingenuous claim, especially when you consider the strong endorsement put forward by the National Transport Authority. Analysts have been warning of the massive challenges facing the transport network in the Greater Dublin Area. The M50 has already reached peak capacity and commuters are all too aware of the difficulties facing our transport network."

(CD/LM)