Opening Statement by Anne Shaw, NTA CEO, to the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery on 17 December 2025
“Cathaoirleach, Committee members,
as the incoming Chief Executive Officer at the National Transport Authority, I’d like to thank you for the invitation to appear before the Committee today. I understand that the Committee wishes to discuss the projects which the NTA are responsible for within the Department of Transport’s Sectoral Investment Plan for transport. To assist me in dealing with questions that may arise during the meeting, I am joined by Hugh Creegan, Deputy Chief Executive.
The Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport was published by the Department of Transport on 26 November last. It commits €22.3 billion to the portfolio of transport projects within the Department of Transport’s remit between 2026 and 2030, with an additional allocation of €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund assigned to support the development of MetroLink.
Within that overall commitment, €10.1 billion has been apportioned to public transport over the five-year period of the plan, in addition to the €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund for MetroLink. However, as the €10.1 billion has to finance aspects of the public transport capital programme which are retained by the Department of Transport, such as asset management funding to Irish Rail (referenced in the plan as “IMMAC”) and the purchase of the Enterprise replacement fleet, the exact funding distribution to the NTA under the Sectoral Investment Plan has not yet been finalised and confirmed to us. When that distribution is issued, we will be able to set out a more detailed investment plan covering the public transport projects within the responsibility of the NTA.
As the Committee will be aware, the NTA acts as the Approving Authority for most public transport projects, with a small number of rail projects outside of the Greater Dublin Area falling outside of our statutory remit. In relation to the very large mega-projects, we act as the day-to-day Approving Authority for MetroLink, the BusConnects Programme and the DART+ Programme.
With regard to those projects, the Sectoral Investment Plan sets out broad details of their intended progression over the period to 2030. MetroLink is identified as commencing construction in 2027, with construction procurement occurring during 2026 and 2027 – this is subject to the resolution or conclusion of the current set of judicial review proceedings which are seeking to quash An Coimisiún Pleanála’s approval of the MetroLink scheme.
In relation to the DART+ Programme and associated projects, the plan envisages the construction of the new Spencer Dock station and the new DART+ depot, electrification of DART+ West, extension of the DART to Wicklow town, improvements on the Bray to Greystones section of the line, and continued progression of the wider programme through land acquisition on foot of Railway Orders received. New DART+ fleet will enter service on the network in 2027, starting with the Northern Line, while there is also potential to commence works on other elements of DART+ Coastal North, including supporting infrastructure such as track passing loops and a new platform at Drogheda station, prior to 2030.
On BusConnects, construction will commence on new bus corridors in Dublin, Cork (subject to planning) and Galway, significantly improving the infrastructure available to support the continued investment in bus services under the overall BusConnects Programme.
In the interests of brevity, I have attached an appendix providing summary information on a variety of ongoing projects being managed under the NTA’s Capital Programme which will be further progressed under the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport. Further detail can be provided on any item as required.
This concludes my opening remarks, and I welcome any questions that members of the Committee may have.”
