Mr. Jim Meade:

I did not answer the second part of Senator Buttimer’s question but I was not avoiding it. On increased frequency for CMATS, what we meant is that, between Mallow, Cobh and Midleton, it is about increasing the frequency of trains and improving the offering to the customer over several phases. By 2023, we would see ourselves increasing capacity by cascading fleet into the area, and so generating more fleet. Prior to Covid we would have had capacity issues, particularly on the morning Midleton service, with people trying get into Cork city. In phase 1, we see ourselves investing in fleet to improve frequency and improve capacity on those lines. As part of phase 2, we would move to a 20-minute service on those lines, whereas it is currently a half-hourly service. Having increased the capacity, we would then increase the frequency.

In phase 3, out into 2027 and 2028, we could move to a 15-minute frequency with a through platform at Cork station and a Mallow-Cobh-Midleton commuter service that would be high-frequency, high-capacity and, over time, electrified. That is what we meant by that.