Underground DART application
Irish railways will lodge an application on Wednesday to build an underground service to link-up the Dublin's transportation system.
The application for the project comes as the Irish planning board prepares to give its decision on the Metro North.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey had said that the Underground DART and Metro North would both go ahead despite a combined cost of around 5bn euros.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce called on the minister to commit to the project.
Running from the Docklands to Heuston Station and Inchicore, it will allow rail passengers from Cork to connect to Belfast.
It will open up two DART lines, one running from Balbriggan to Kildare the other from Maynooth to Bray, intersecting at Pearse Street Station.
The Underground DART will also link with Metro North at St Stephen's Green, with the Inter-city lines at Heuston and with the LUAS.
The underground will be a public-private partnership and the Government will not have to pay for its construction until it is completed as planned in 2018.