Ireland commits EUR 228m from Shared Island Fund to all-island rail

EUR 100 million goes to track renewals in Northern Ireland (Derry–Belfast, Belfast–Dublin), EUR 93 million to accelerated parts of DART+ Coastal North (signalling, a turnback facility at Malahide, passing loops at Clongriffin) and EUR 35 million to the hourly Enterprise service until 2030, which the Department of Transport matches with the same amount; the projects are to be delivered by 2030.

On 25 June 2026 the Irish government announced that EUR 228 million from its Shared Island Fund will go into rail projects across the island, in line with the All-Island Strategic Rail Review and the joint prioritisation strategy; they are to be delivered by 2030. Of this, EUR 100 million is for track renewals in Northern Ireland and EUR 93 million for accelerated parts of DART+ Coastal North, so that Enterprise trains can pass stopping DART and commuter services and the new battery-electric DART fleet can run to Drogheda from 2027, plus EUR 35 million for the hourly Enterprise service that has run since October 2024 (passenger numbers up about 40%). The new Enterprise fleet, whose contract was signed in Belfast on 7 May 2026, is due to enter service from 2030. (LOK Report, 25 Jun 2026)