€228m boost to Northern‑Ireland rail links

Wed Jun 24 2026 03:05:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Irish government pledges €228m to upgrade rail between Derry, Belfast and Dublin, adding new trains and infrastructure.

The Irish government will invest €228m, including €193m for new rail infrastructure and €35m to maintain hourly Dublin‑Belfast trains until at least 2030. The money comes from the Shared Island Fund, which aims to deliver projects benefiting both the Republic and Northern Ireland. The investment will support a 15‑20 minute transfer time between the three major cities and improve connectivity on the island. Funding also covers additional projects such as port expansion, Ulster Canal restoration and upgrades to Lough Neagh’s water quality.

In a move aimed at enhancing cross‑border transportation, the Irish government announced a €228m (≈£197m) investment to improve rail services between Derry, Belfast and Dublin. The money will be supplied from the final budget tranche of the Shared Island Fund.

The allocation is split as follows: €193m will fund infrastructure projects along the Londonderry–Belfast–Dublin corridor, while an additional €35m will be spent to keep hourly trains running from Dublin to Belfast until at least 2030.

Officials said the partnership will reduce transfer times between the three major cities to 15–20 minutes, thereby improving overall connectivity and encouraging cross‑border travel. The programme is part of a broader initiative that has already committed over €1bn (£862m) via the Shared Island Fund and will bring in another €377m (£325m) for 12 new projects over 2027–2030.

Beyond rail, the fund will back other island‑wide projects: €40m for port development to expand capacity, €30m for phase 3 of the Ulster Canal restoration, and €33m for a new Lough Neagh catchment water‑quality programme. These investments aim to strengthen the economic and environmental infrastructure of the island.

The Irish government also earmarked £3m for the redevelopment of cricket facilities at Stormont, supporting Ireland's bid to co‑host the 2030 T20 Cricket World Cup with the United Kingdom. Additional funds will provide 1,000 early‑years educator training positions and build support for over 10,500 childcare services across the island.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the spending as a “major investment for our shared future on the island of Ireland.” The Shared Island Fund’s cumulative allocations of over €1bn are intended to create a more connected, sustainable and prosperous island for all communities.