Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
179. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Transport the steps that will be taken to improve the passenger rail service in the south-east following the publication of the rail project prioritisation strategy which outlines no significant improvements to the Rosslare to Dublin rail line and excludes the Wexford to Waterford Rail project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2778/26]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Department of Transport, together with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, published the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy in December 2025. This Strategy outlines how to best sequence and optimise the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, which was published in July 2024.
The Rail Strategy specifies short-term rail infrastructure investments, referred to as Early Interventions, to be delivered in the coming years, including new track passing loops and platforms to boost the rail network’s resilience and capacity, which are funded to be fully delivered by 2030. This includes a new platform at Limerick Junction, and a new passing loop east of Clonmel, which will support quicker journeys between Waterford and Limerick.
The Rail Strategy also identifies Major Projects, including capacity/frequency enhancements and electrification of the Waterford rail line, to be progressed.
Projects not included in the Rail Strategy, such as reinstating the rail link between Wexford and Waterford, are intended to be developed in the longer-term.
Additionally, funding has been secured through the Government’s NDP Sectoral Plan from 2026 to 2030, published in November, to extend the DART from Greystones to Wicklow, for delivery around 2029. This project will be progressed using new battery-electric DART trains arriving into Ireland over the next year or so, and new battery-electric charging infrastructure, and it will boost rail capacity and frequency on the Wexford/Rosslare line. Wicklow commuters in particular will see a big increase in train frequency through the new DART services that the project will deliver.
In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
