world
Irish Government Commits €228m to Rail Links and Other Projects in Northern Ireland
The funding covers infrastructure upgrades on the Londonderry-Belfast-Dublin line and extends hourly Dublin-Belfast trains to 2030. It forms the final draw from the Shared Island Fund, which has now exceeded €1bn in total allocations.
BBC NewsAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The Irish government will contribute €228m (£197m) to improve rail services between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, BBC News reported. Of that amount, €193m (£166m) will support infrastructure investment on the Londonderry-Belfast-Dublin line, while €35m (£30m) will maintain hourly trains from Dublin to Belfast through at least 2030.
The contribution marks the final allocation from the Shared Island Fund.
Total commitments from the fund now exceed €1bn (£862m). Cabinet ministers approved an additional €377m (£325m) for 12 new projects scheduled between 2027 and 2030. The two governments will coordinate to achieve 15- to 20-minute transfer times between the Dublin-Belfast and Belfast-Derry lines.
Separate allocations include €40m (£34m) for port capacity expansion across the island and €30m (£26m) for the third phase of the Ulster Canal restoration. Phase 3 will add or refurbish 10km of navigable canal from Clonfad to Castle Saunderson, linking Clones to the Erne System and Shannon-Erne waterway. A new 9km section of the Ulster Canal Greenway will run from Clones to Gortnacarrow.
The government will also direct €33m (£28m) to a Lough Neagh Catchment Area Water Quality programme and €13.5m (£12m) to create 1,000 additional training places for early years educators, with 40% reserved for participants from Northern Ireland. A training programme will operate across more than 10,500 early learning and childcare services island-wide.
An additional £3m will support redevelopment of cricket facilities at the Stormont estate in Belfast.
Cricket Ireland and the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association will each contribute £1m. Ireland and the UK plan to co-host the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in 2030.
