Rail Network
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-25
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Seán Canney (IND), Galway East

I understand the Deputy's frustration in trying to get a clear line of sight on what might be happening here. From the outset, the CMATS review will start later this year. That is the avenue by which this project will or will not move forward. This project does not appear in the national development plan, which we have published, or in the sectoral plan for transport and the all-island rail review, in which we have picked projects to do. It is not on the radar, to be honest. We need to use CMATS to see if it is part of the strategy for Cork. Cork people, the county and city councils and the NTA will have a role in all of that, as will the representatives locally. This project has not been included in the all-island rail review and the only next step forward, and the most immediate thing that is going to happen, is the review of the Cork metropolitan strategy. There will be several public consultations on that, giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the matter. I encourage all stakeholders to put in their submissions.
In addition, one of the all-island rail review recommendations is that the review should be updated once a decade. It will be 2034 when this will be completely reviewed. The Deputy and the people of Cork have a desire to create a railway between Midleton and Youghal but, at present, it is not on the strategy for Cork transport or in the all-island rail review. There is an opportunity to see if we can get it into the Cork metropolitan transport strategy. That is the opportunity. I will not pre-empt the outcome of that strategy here today, other than to say it is the vehicle by which this will change from being something people desire to becoming part of the strategy for the development of Cork.
On that, I visited Cork station and met with Irish Rail down there. I have viewed all the projects and development it wants to do. It is very good news for Cork, with the works it has already done. The ambition it has for the future is also very good for Cork. This is just one element that has not made it into the system yet. Whether it does or not will depend on CMATS, when it starts later this year. I will not pre-empt the outcome.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:41+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-25