A new €22 million Dart station opens today at Clongriffin, a newly-developed town in the north-east of Dublin.
The station was developed by businessman Gerry Gannon – whose €1bn-plus of property loans are due to end up in Nama.
Speaking at the formal opening this afternoon, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said the Government was committed to offering commuters a real alternative to their cars.
"A project like Clongriffin - that offers reliable, sustainable, modern public transport on your doorstep is the future," he said.
Designed by Iarnród Éireann Architects, and funded by the developers of Clongriffin and Coast, Gannon Homes Ltd and Helsingnor Ltd respectively, the project is in collaboration with the respective Local Authorities of Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council.
Commuters will be able to reach the city centre in as little as 17 minutes by rail, with 74 trains a day serving the station. Rail services will link commuters to Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse Stations.
Residents on the Baldoyle side of the facility will also be able to avail of the Dart service which is along the Dublin-Malahide line.
The opening of the station is expected to draw thousands of commuters through Clongriffin town centre, where Gannon Developments has built a 400-space park-and-ride facility under the town square as well as a 700-space multi-storey car park. The town will eventually cater for about 25,000 residents.
Eventually, Clongriffin will have a variety of shopping, entertainment and social facilities to cater for about 5,500 homes on both sides of the Dart line. Séamus Ross's Menolly Homes is developing the former Baldoyle Racecourse while Seán Mulryan's Ballymore has retained a large part of the old racecourse for a development of large family homes.
Up to 700 acres of zoned land belonging to Gannon Developments, mainly in north Dublin, are expected to be transferred to Nama, along with other properties.