THE EXTENSION OF the Luas green line to Finglas has been granted planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

The line will be extended northwards by four kilometres with four new stops at Charlestown, St Margaret’s Road, Finglas Village and St Helena’s.

Cabinet signed off on the planning application last October, saying the line could be up and running by 2031 subject to planning and funding. 

The approved railway order was published by An Coimisiún Pleanála this morning.

Up to 60,000 people will be served by the extension of the Green line, with trams to run every 7.5 minutes. The line will also interchange with bus and additional rail services.

The four new stops. Department of Transport Department of Transport

The St Margaret’s Road stop will also include a 350-vehicle park and ride, close to the M50 and M2 interchange.

The tram route will be mostly off-road and segregated from road traffic. The project will also see improvements to the walking and cycling network in the area. 

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the approval. “Luas Finglas will offer thousands of Dubliners a fast, reliable, sustainable way to get around the city, helping to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality,” he said. 

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North-West Paul McAuliffe deemed it a “big day for the community”. 

“A project which the local community has been campaigning for now has full planning permission,” he said.

McAuliffe thanked the local community and said he will be working with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Transport Minister “to ensure the funding is in place to allow us to go to tender”. 

He also said that while it technically remains a post-2027 project, it is hoped “that we can bring it forward” and expects the Government to approve it because it is “a very deliverable shovel ready infrastructure project”.

“This project has the potential to transform North Dublin, enabling people to rapidly access the City Centre from all over Finglas and Charlestown.”

Social Democrats TD for Dublin North-West Rory Hearne has called for funding for the project to be fast-tracked, adding that there are fears that the project may not be delivered “for another ten years”. 

“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.”

Hearne also said 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”.