Sorca Clarke
Question:139. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport if investment in additional carriages or enhanced frequency is planned for the Sligo line, and whether platform upgrades are under consideration. [72648/25]
View answerWednesday, 17 December 2025
Questions (139)
Written answers
As the Deputy may be aware, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review was undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Following two public consultations, the Review’s Final Report was published in July 2024.
The Review's Final Report 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.
Assisted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) Advisory Services, the Department of Transport and Department for Infrastructure, and agencies across the island, are working to progress the Report’s recommendations in the years ahead. As part of this work a Project Prioritisation Strategy was developed and published on 15th December.
The Strategy considers how best to optimise the sequencing and implementation of the Review recommendations, including both short-term interventions and longer-term projects. Amongst the early interventions called out in the Strategy are additional platforms at Sligo and Enfield on the Sligo rail line, as well as an additional track passing loop between Sligo and Boyle which will increase the resilience and capacity of the line in the short term. These recommendations will be delivered over the period 2026 to 2030, with funding provided in the National Development Plan (NDP) Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, which was published by the Department of Transport in November.