Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

What action has the Taoiseach taken to implement the all-island rail review? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, transport emissions increased again last year. To reach the legally binding target for transport, they must fall 12% this year and by 12% next year. It is very likely that this simply will not happen and then the cut from 2026 to 2030 will have to be even bigger. Radical transformative measures are needed to get people out of cars and onto public transport. A lot of measures were recommended to the Government a year ago in the all-island rail review. It recommended, for example, upgrading the intercity rail network to at least dual track. This would enable an increase in service frequencies to every hour or half hour between the major cities and would reduce journey times by up to 50%. The review also recommended more direct services between the east and south coasts, the reinstatement of the western rail corridor and the south Wexford railway, and the extension of rail into Tyrone, Derry and Donegal. What has the Government done to implement these recommendations?

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