Local authorities have welcomed confirmation that £1m has been ringfenced to progress the All-Island Rail Review studies, with £300,000 specifically allocated to examine the Derry to Portadown line.

Members of the North West Regional Development Group (NWRDG), representing Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council, recently met with Northern Ireland Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins to discuss the delivery of new rail connections in the North West. Central to the talks was the proposed extension of the rail network to link Letterkenny and Derry with the existing line at Portadown.

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While the funding will allow initial studies to advance, the group stressed that further investment will be required in 2026/27 to complete a detailed route assessment for the Derry to Portadown connection.

The NWRDG also pressed for consideration of wider rail development along the Atlantic Economic Corridor, linking Derry, Letterkenny, Sligo, Galway, Limerick and Cork.