The Railway Procurement Agency was due to formally apply to the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, this evening, to extend the LUAS Green Line from Sandyford to Cherrywood near Loughlinstown in south Dublin.
The RPA will submit documents to the minister including a preferred route for the 7.5km extension, and an environmental impact statement.
The extension is expected to run through Leopardstown and Carrickmines to Cherrywood.
Half of the cost of the €300 million project is being met by private developers.
Building work will begin in 2007 and the RPA says the line will be fully operational by 2010.
Labour 'alarmed' by transport authority
Earlier, the Labour Party warned that there is an 'alarming' lack of clarity over what powers are going to be bestowed on the new Transport Authority for the Greater Dublin area.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Martin Cullen announced Professor Margaret O'Mahony, an expert in transport and engineering from Trinity College Dublin, would chair the body.
Labour's Roisin Shorthall says she wishes Professor O'Mahony well in her new position as head of the new body charged with driving through the Government's multi-billion euro transport plan.
However, Deputy Shorthall asserts the authority should have been established a long time ago and now, if it is to work, it has to be put on a statutory basis, with real powers and have democratic accountability.
Green Party TD Eamon Ryan said the new authority should have a national rather than Dublin remit, as the skills in traffic modelling and planning are as badly needed in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.
He said the authority should also be able to recommend changes to the new transport plan and, he suggested, it should start by reviewing the decision not to connect the airport Metro line to the south side of the city.
Minister Cullen has said the body will be set up within months and have power to deliver change.
