Funding to electrify Cork rail reaches next EU round
The European Commission endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Ireland's second payment request under the facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU.
Following its assessment of the payment request submitted by Ireland in December, the commission has preliminarily concluded that Ireland has satisfactorily completed the 17 milestones and targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision for the second instalment.
The payment request supports six reforms and five investments that will benefit citizens and businesses in Ireland, focusing on enterprise emissions reduction, sustainable transport, carbon taxation, digitalisation in schools, businesses, and public administration, as well as ICT skills, healthcare, pensions, and housing.
Flagship measures in this payment request include an investment to support the electrification of Cork rail. The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme is a series of interrelated projects that will ultimately enable train services every 10 minutes across the Cork rail network.
The recently opened Platform 6 at Kent Station, together with the Glounthaune-to-Midleton twin-track project and Cork area signalling and communications upgrades – both set for completion in 2026 – will deliver the network capacity to support 10-minute frequencies on each of Cork's three commuter lines, to Cobh, Midleton, and Mallow.
Other measures include an investment to provide digital infrastructure to schools. Ireland is investing in high-speed broadband connectivity for primary schools, which will ensure that learners at primary and post-primary schools are equipped with appropriate digital skills and will contribute to addressing digital disparities in Ireland.
Ireland is also accelerating the decarbonisation of the enterprise sector with the launch of the Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund, targeting manufacturing enterprises. The fund will provide support for carbon-reducing technologies, energy monitoring systems, and research and innovation.
The commission has now sent its preliminary assessment of Ireland's fulfilment of the milestones to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has four weeks to deliver its opinion, after which payment to Ireland can take place.
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