Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the extension of the Cork to Midleton railway line to Youghal, given the significant commuter population in this town and its hinterland, the existence of sufficient space on the line adjacent to the Greenway, the positive impact for tourism in the area, and the benefits of public transport. [26708/25]

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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160. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had any engagement with Irish Rail, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland or Cork County Council regarding the extension of the existing Cork–Midleton railway line to include Youghal. [26709/25]

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding mechanisms his Department, or the agencies under its aegis, could potentially provide to extend the existing Cork-Midleton railway line to include Youghal. [26710/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 161, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy may know, the National Transport Authority (NTA) published the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) in 2020, which was developed in consultation with Cork City and Cork County Councils and with input from other key stakeholders, including Iarnród Éireann. As part of this process, the route from Midleton to Youghal was earmarked for development as a greenway.

CMATS will be reviewed and updated every six years and, as part of this process, the optimal transport provision in the area, including between Midleton and Youghal, can be considered again.

In addition, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, which was published in July 2024, sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050, aligning with net carbon zero commitments in both jurisdictions. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society on the island, through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new routes.

A proposal to develop a line between Midleton and Waterford along the South Coast was examined as part of the Review, but ultimately this route was not included in the recommendations in the Final Review Report as it would likely be more cost-effective to route longer distance services between Cork and Waterford via improved railways between both cities and Limerick Junction, rather than on a new line.

One of the review's recommendations is that the review be updated once a decade, taking account of latest policies and developments. The potential for the Cork to Midleton line could be reassessed at this point.