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The Taoiseach has announced a €230 million investment from the Shared Island Fund to upgrade and enhance rail infrastructure across the island of Ireland.
The major funding package allocates approximately €100 million for critical track renewal projects on the Dublin–Belfast and Belfast–Derry routes. A further €93 million has been earmarked for the DART+ Coastal North initiative, while €34.5 million will be used to support the ongoing delivery of an hourly Enterprise service operating between Dublin and Belfast.
The cross-border transport investment has been welcomed by authorities north and south, with Northern Ireland's Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins TD highlighting the positive implications for regional connectivity and the all-island economy.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said: "This is superb news for the future of rail on this island particularly so for the Derry to - Belfast and Belfast to Dublin routes. The investment in rail, through the Shared Island Fund, will accelerate improvements on the Derry-Belfast and Belfast-Dublin lines, strengthening regional balance and connectivity.
"This investment will pave the way for faster journeys and greater reliability for services between Dublin, Belfast and the North-West – delivering a more cohesive rail network, connecting communities and boosting the thriving all-island economy.
"Following on from the €700million investment announced last month by the Irish Government, my Department and the PEACEPLUS programme, for new trains on the Belfast to Dublin route, this is a further positive development for the future of rail, and a total of almost one billion euros to be invested in rail, connecting communities right across the island."
Concurrently, Ireland's Department of Transport and the North's Department for Infrastructure will continue to progress the initial phases of the Major Project Interventions identified under the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy. These works will be advanced in a coordinated manner on cross-border routes, subject to standard funding allocations within each administration.
