Further Investment in Irish Rail

“I warmly welcome the announcement today (Monday) by Minister of State Alan Kelly of a €6 million investment programme for Irish Rail. The funding will go to line speed improvements, further rollout of Wi-Fi on the train service and important fuel saving technology to reduce costs” said Kildare North TD, Anthony Lawlor.

This funding has been sourced from reallocated capital within the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport. It is hoped that this work will be completed by year end. Under the initiative, an additional €1million will be spent on improving journey times between Portalington and Dublin, €1million on ticket validating machines and €300K for the additional roll-out of wifi on 63 rail cars and €600,000 for order point heaters to ensure depots are not unduly affected by a harsh winter.

“This further investment in Irish Rail indicates a commitment by the Department to improve the overall standard of service for customers, to be prepared for all weather conditions and to provide a service which is economically efficient and environmentally friendly. These improvements will make the daily commute for so many people in Kildare North a much more pleasant experience” concluded Anthony Lawlor TD.