Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

There is huge potential in Cork for delivery from CMATS. First and foremost, it is happening with rail. This is next year's budget. Our use of our portion of the European recovery and resilience fund will allow us to invest in the first phase of the upgrade from Midleton to Kent Station and will allow for the run-through from Kent Station out towards Blarney and Mallow. That is not on the never-never but it is being budgeted for now, built and provided. The real question is where some of the new stations go and how we might get the station at Tivoli, for example, in a timely manner. There is the question of how to get some of the stations on the north side and where we might locate them to get this transport-oriented development concept working in Cork.

As the Senator has said, Irish Rail is very committed to this. I see it as a kind of top priority and it is why it got the funding and is happening ahead of some of the other projects. We need balanced regional development and for Cork to thrive. It is not competing with other cities and it must stand on its own two feet and be successful. The rail project is advancing and will not be stopped at this stage. It is real.

If the Senator wishes to continue on the rail area, I can come back to bus and cycling developments.