The proposed Luas extension to Poolbeg is advancing sooner than previously anticipated, according to Fine Gael’s Dublin spokesperson, Deputy James Geoghegan, following confirmation from the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Geoghegan said the update came in an NTA reply to his parliamentary question.

"This project was once viewed as decades away but is now advancing to the next stage of development ahead of major changes in population growth and infrastructure planning in Dublin's docklands," he said.

The NTA has completed the pre-feasibility study for the Poolbeg link and instructed Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to move the scheme into Phase 1 of the NTA’s Project Approval Guidelines in 2026, which includes procuring engineering designers.

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In 2021, the NTA considered the Poolbeg Luas a long-term scheme that would not be examined until after 2042 based on demand projections. That assessment has now shifted significantly.

Deputy Geoghegan said: "I've been campaigning for the Luas to Poolbeg for many months because the facts on the ground have fundamentally changed. In 2021, this was seen as something decades away, but that position has now shifted decisively.

"We are now seeing real housing delivery in the area, including almost 1,000 people currently moving into the Glass Bottle site alone, with many thousands more to follow as development continues.

"I have consistently pushed for a common-sense approach, aligning the Luas extension with Dublin Port's expansion plans, including the new bridge which has already been structurally designed to accommodate Luas tracks.

"The confirmation I've received from the NTA shows that this project is now actively moving forward and on a dramatically accelerated timeline compared to what was originally envisaged.

"The new bridge forms part of the 3FM and Southern Port Access Route project and is designed to remove heavy goods vehicles and port traffic from existing public roads while also enabling high-capacity public transport into the Poolbeg area."