Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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92. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the funding provided by his Department to improve the rail network and train connectivity in County Offaly in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33880/25]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this question. I am asking him provide details of the funding provided by the Department to improve the rail network and train connectivity in County Offaly in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. I do so because I am constantly being contacted by constituents who are very anxious to see improvements to our rail and connectivity in Offaly, particularly in Clara, which I will refer to later.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for the question. As she may be aware, my Department provides public service obligation, PSO, funding for socially beneficial but financially unviable public transport services across the country. In 2023, Iarnród Éireann was allocated €187 million in PSO funding by the Department, increasing to €215 million in 2024. This is expected to further rise to €265 million this year. All of this provides for an improvement to rail passenger services. The funding has enabled Iarnród Éireann to increase the frequency of rail passenger services in County Offaly, including at Clara and Tullamore stations. I highlight the additional weekday and Sunday train services on the Dublin to Galway line, which serves Clara and Tullamore, announced in 2023 and 2024. In addition, last year, train services were added and amended to allow passengers travelling from Tullamore to Galway to avail of two weekday services arriving in Galway in advance of 9 a.m.

In terms of rail infrastructure improvements, assisted by the European Investment Bank Advisory service, the Department, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and rail stakeholders North and South are currently examining how best to implement the recommendations of the all-island strategic rail review published in July last year. This work includes a project prioritisation strategy which is at an advanced stage of preparation. It will consider both short-term and medium-term investments on the rail network, including the Dublin to Galway line. This work is also being used to inform the Department's engagement on the review of the national development plan, which is ongoing. Funding in recent years has helped to provide the people of Offaly with a more frequent rail service. I look forward to working with Iarnród Éireann to build on this progress in the years to come.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State's response and the fact that €265 million has been allocated in funding this year alone. I accept there have been huge improvements in services. My question relates to the need for capital funding for a second platform at Clara train station. I brought this issue up only last week with the Minister during a debate. It would make social and economic sense in achieving balanced regional development in rural countries like Offaly, my county. I would hope there could some commitment to ensuring capital funding is put in place for a second platform, given that €265 million has been allocated this year alone. It is an easy win for the Department. It is practical, would allow further expansion of services, and would ensure users in surrounding areas like Moate, Kilbeggan and Ferbane could also avail of further services at Clara train station.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The all-island strategic rail review undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland informs the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades up to 2050, in line with net zero targets for both jurisdictions.

The review's final report was published in 2024 and sets outs 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system. The EIB advisory services, the Department of Transport and the Department of infrastructure are progressing with this report's recommendations in the year ahead. As part of this project's prioritisation strategy, we will consider how best to optimise the sequencing and implementation of the review recommendations, including both short-term interventions and longer term projects.

It is important to state a project like a second platform will be one of the interim interventions that could be put in place, but we will wait to see what comes out of the EIB analysis.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is certainly positive that there is a review and analysis of our infrastructure, our rail infrastructure in particular. However, I hope there would be a commitment given to the people of Offaly, especially the people of Clara who want to see further development in the town, on capital funding for a second platform. I hope also that the pace of delivery for projects like this, which are there for the taking and would contribute enormously to the expansion of existing services for minimal cost, will be stepped up. As I said, they would also help us achieve a commitment in the programme for Government, namely, balanced regional development in all our rural towns.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I agree with the Deputy. The important point is that the all-Ireland rail review is exactly that; it is about regional development, the cities, connecting the cities and connecting rural Ireland by public transport. When we are realising the recommendations of the review we need to ensure passengers are at the heart of it and have a good experience, so that when they take a train they will be happy to do so again. it is important that when we put in investment we put it in to serve all the island. That is why the review is called the all-island rail review.

I agree with the Deputy that there are opportunities for investment throughout the country to ensure the public transport we deliver is second to none. We can look at the success of the Galway-to-Limerick section of the western rail corridor. Over 630,000 passengers travel on that every year, even though when it opened a number of years ago the figure was 132,000. We have the opportunities, potential and spirit to carry on with that.