Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward has said that additional train carriages are needed on the Adamstown to Heuston route.
The Dublin Mid-West TD was speaking after receiving a response from Iarnród Éireann, which indicated there would be increased capacity in Q2 of 2027.
Ward called for the date to be brought forward, given the increased demand from commuters.
Ward said “I have been contacted by several constituents about overcrowding on train services at peak hours. I have been told that people are not able to board the train and have been late to work as a result.”
“I have raised this with the Minister for Transport on a number of occasions. I received a response from Iarnród Eireann to say that new carriages will be entering operation in the first half of 2027, with the Drogheda Dublin line to benefit first.
“The current carriages on this line will then be moved to add to the capacity of the Heuston line. They must first undergo inspection, which likely will mean that the earliest we will see an increase in capacity will be late 2027.
He said “with housing developments like Clonburris, there is an increased demand for public transport. The government have put the cart before the horse in terms of increase transport options. Increase train capacity should have been delivered alongside the increase in housing.”
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have allowed some of the highest fuel increases in Europe, so public transport is the best alternative, but it is neither frequent nor accessible.
“I raised the same issue last year and was told that we would see an increase in capacity in 2026. That timeline keeps being pushed out. It is not good enough.
“Everything must be done to bring the 2027 timeline forward and deliver for the people of Dublin Mid-West.”