Railway to Navan could be built in three years if approved

Irish Rail could rebuild the railway from Dublin to Navan in just three years, the company's chief executive, Jim Meade, has told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

He made the comments in response to a question by Deputy Darren O'Rourke who asked if the project received the green light from the National Transport Authority, how quickly could the project go ahead.

The comments came as the National Development Plan Review of the rail link to Navan continues.

Deputy O'Rourke said he was "confident and hopeful" of the project getting the green light.

"There is political support across the board. I believe the economic argument and the environmental argument is very strong and the social argument is without comparison."

Mr Meade said that if funding was made available, it could be built in three years.

"The planning is by the NTA and funding is from the Department of Transport. If funding is made available we can deliver in three years, from start to finish.

" All we are waiting for is clarity. It is a case of it and when they want to build it. We are here to operate railways, so we would very much welcome a rail expansion across the network," he said.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín has welcomed comments Mr Meade's comments.

“There is a growing head of steam building for the Navan to Dublin Rail line. Pressure from our Meath on Track campaign and the thousands of commuters across the county is impacting on the government," he said.

"There is no doubt in my mind that this pressure and the overwhelming logic of the rail line is paying off. The assessment by the NTA of the need for the rail line is currently ongoing. We have met with the Minister for Transport and our campaign is seeking a meeting with CEO of Iarnród Éireann and the Consultancy firm involved in the review.

"We welcome that the Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann Jim Meade is eager to expand and improve the rail infrastructure across the country, along with proposals which included potential extension of the rail line from Dublin to Navan. Meath has one of the fastest growing populations, we commute more and further than any other county in the country and Navan is the largest town in the country without a rail line. The facts are clear.

"There is an enormous cost on families to the commuter hell that over 30,000 people go through every day in normal times. There is an enormous cost to the environment. The government needs to end the never ending lip service afforded to the rail line and finally build it," said Deputy Toibin.