Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has called on the Government to allocate dedicated funding to the Finglas Luas extension to ensure the long-awaited project is delivered without further delay.

Deputy Hearne, who represents Dublin North-West, said that while the recent granting of planning permission for the extension is a welcome step, urgent action is now needed to move the project forward.

He said: "The granting of planning permission for the extension of LUAS to Finglas is very welcome, but we need to see delivery as soon as possible.

"Finglas and the wider area is a growing community which urgently needs better public transport. I have been pushing the government to deliver this project and they must now fast track its delivery.

-- Advertisement --

"The last Luas extension happened eight years ago. Meanwhile, there are fears that this project may not be delivered for another ten years. This appalling vista would mean an almost two-decade period in which no new light rail was delivered.

"This government must stop blaming state agencies for its failure to deliver infrastructure and take responsibility for its own dismal record. What we need now is dedicated funding and faster delivery – not missed deadlines and endless prevarication.

"People in Finglas and the surrounding area have expressed concern to me about the timeframe for the completion of this extension. The government must now prioritise the delivery of this crucial infrastructure project by allocating more resources and bringing forward its completion date.

"An extension of the LUAS line to Ballymun and Santry, which similarly need major public transport investment, should also be on the government's agenda.

"I was disappointed that the calls from myself and others for the LUAS Finglas project to be linked with Ballymun and Santry were not accepted.

"The government must now get on with delivering this project – and other vital public transport projects across the city and country."