Mr. Jim Meade:

I thank the Deputy. We see Cork as almost a template for the other regional cities because it is moving so well. There are three work packages in Cork, as I mentioned earlier in my introduction. Regarding all three work packages, the target date when we set up this programme, which was several years ago, was 2026. We are on schedule to meet it. As the Deputy will probably know, the rail order came through before Christmas. It came through earlier but the procurement standstill period meant it was finalised just before Christmas. We are now concerned with building that double track out to Midleton. That rail order was the first in more than a decade for rail and many more are going to come. This is indicative of where we are heading. The resignalling work on the platform in the station in Cork gives us the infrastructure to be able to run a high-frequency service, a ten-minute service, between Mallow, Cobh and Midleton. On electrification, the final decision has not been made yet. We have work packages one, two and three now. What we are doing in this regard is in the second tranche of work package endeavours. We have flagged it, we know what it is going to cost and we have it out there, but the final decision in this regard has not been made. All things being equal, however, the line will be electrified by 2030.

Turning to the project at Monard, as the Deputy will probably know, we are working very closely with Cork City Council and Cork County Council on the allocation of stations, including where they will go and how they will fit in together. I am happy to say there is a very strong working relationship between the two local authorities, ourselves and the NTA. As the Deputy will know as well, the NTA has collocated its team in Cork so that everyone will be working together to deliver that programme of work to be undertaken by the Irish Rail, the two local authorities and the NTA. On the timing of the Monard project itself, I do not know what that will be. The local authority will be very heavily involved in that decision. We are, though, ready, willing and able to build the station there. These stations get built to a template, so it will be just another headache to add to the list for Mr. Hendrick when the time comes. The work at Tivoli is currently ahead of that at Monard, but again that will be a call for all involved. There is no reason we could not build three stations together, by the way.