The guidelines and requirements for the development of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) are set out in EU Regulation 2024/1679. Article 34 includes a requirement that airports with annual passenger volumes exceeding 12 million be connected to the trans-European railway network by the end of 2040. Dublin Airport exceeds this passenger threshold, while the entire Irish rail network is part of either the core or comprehensive TEN-T network.
It should be noted that Article 34 also allows the European Commission to grant an exemption to this requirement in "duly justified cases", which could include geographical or physical constraints, negative environmental impacts, or a negative socio-economic cost-benefit analysis.
The MetroLink project will connect Dublin Airport to the heavy rail network at Glasnevin and Tara Street stations. The project will therefore help deliver strategic connectivity for Dublin Airport across the island of Ireland.
In terms of planned investment in heavy rail, last December my Department published the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy, which was prepared with he support of the European Investment Bank and in conjunction with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The Strategy outlines the approach to sequencing and optimising the recommendations of the 2024 All-Island Strategic Rail Review in the coming years.
In the short-term to 2030, the Prioritisation Strategy specifies a number of '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. These investments are funded to be fully delivered by 2030 under the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, published be my Department in November 2025, and include passing loops at Mosney and Skerries.
The Prioritisation Strategy also identifies 'Major Projects' with longer lead-in and development timelines. Among these is “FourNorth”, to add track capacity on the busy Northern line north of Connolly station; electrification and line speed improvements on the Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Belfast routes, both of which are on the TEN-T network.
Building a rail spur from Clongriffin to Dublin Airport, which aims to complement MetroLink, is a long-term recommendation in the Rail Review. Given existing congestion on the Northern Line, planned investments to enhance capacity and resilience on the line and the progression of FourNorth will help to facilitate a future connection between Clongriffin and Dublin Airport.
