Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a huge range of activity occurring across the rail network to improve rail transport for passengers with a variety of projects set for delivery over the next few years. In the short term we will see a new station opening at Kishogue on the Kildare line late this year; new rail carriages entering into service next year through the addition of 41 new carriages to the intercity fleet; and a new station opening at Woodbrook on the DART line by the end of 2024. We will see the new DART+ fleet start to arrive next year and enter into service on the northern line in 2025. Track and station improvements at Oranmore are to be delivered by 2025. A new station is to be delivered at Moyross as part of the pathfinder programme. A redeveloped Ceannt Station in Galway is planned by 2026, while construction has already started on the North Quays in Waterford to deliver a new station there. Phase 1 of the Cork commuter rail programme will be completed by the end of 2026 as part of the EU’s recovery and resilience plan. In addition to those projects, which will all be delivered by 2026, we will see construction start in the next few years on the bigger projects like DART+ West, DART+ South West and MetroLink, which are currently with An Bord Pleanála for determination.

On the inter-urban and inter-regional network, Exchequer investment in protection and renewal continues to deliver safety and service improvements, as evidenced by the ongoing works on the Dublin to Cork line, the journey time improvements delivered on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line last year, the rehabilitation works under way on the Foynes freight line, and the protection works being undertaken on the east coast.

Finally, this year will also see the publication of the strategic rail review, which is the first all-island review of the network since the formation of the State and will provide a framework to develop a much-improved rail network in the decades ahead. This will provide opportunities for the west of Ireland and around to the south east, as I said to Deputy Shanahan.

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