Ireland and Northern Ireland have set out a new roadmap for rail investment with the publication of a Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy, outlining how the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review will be translated into a sequenced programme of infrastructure delivery across the island. The strategy is designed to move rail projects from long-term aspiration to delivery, prioritising early interventions that can be achieved within the next decade, while also safeguarding major schemes that would fundamentally reshape intercity and regional rail connectivity in the longer term. Projects already realised and underway Although the strategy looks ahead, it builds on tangible progress already made. The completion of Belfast Grand Central station represents a major step-change in rail capacity and passenger facilities in Northern Ireland, providing a modern hub for both local and cross-border services. Rail remains an area of cross-border cooperation, epitomised by the Enterprise Belfast-Dublin service, which connects the regional UK capital with the Irish capital, the island’s two biggest settlements. Enterprise is already slated for a rolling stock renewal programme. In the Republic of Ireland, work is progressing on the equally transformational Foynes rail project, restoring a freight rail connection between the national network and the Shannon Estuary. The west coast project is widely viewed as a key enabler for shifting freight from road to rail and strengthening rail-linked port activity. Early interventions to boost capacity A core element of the prioritisation strategy is a package of early interventions intended to deliver measurable improvements by 2030. These focus on increasing network resilience, enabling higher service frequencies and removing bottlenecks that constrain timetable flexibility. Proposals include the delivery of additional passing loops at strategic points on the network, alongside new or extended platforms on regional routes serving Galway, Sligo and Westport/Ballina — the latter already a modestly sized but key intermodal terminal. Infrastructure enhancements are also planned on the Limerick–Waterford line, while capacity improvements on the Belfast-Dublin corridor are intended to support growing passenger demand and future service expansion. Construction on these early projects is expected to begin next year under Ireland’s National Development Plan Transport Sectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030, with completion targeted by the end of the decade. Campaign ambitions acknowledged The strategy also explicitly recognises long-standing ambitions championed by rail campaign groups, even if delivery remains some distance away. In Northern Ireland, the aspirations of the Portadown Armagh Railway Society (PARS) are reflected in the identification of the Portadown–Armagh corridor as a candidate for future rail restoration, linked to wider plans for improved regional connectivity west of the Belfast–Dublin axis. Similarly, the goals of the Into The West campaign, which has long pressed for the restoration of rail services to the north-west, are acknowledged through continued policy support for reopening the Portadown to Derry~Londonderry line and improving rail access to areas such as Letterkenny. However, the prioritisation framework makes clear that these schemes will follow earlier capacity and resilience works, a sequencing approach that may test the patience of advocacy groups seeking faster progress. Major transformation projects ahead Beyond the early interventions, the strategy identifies a suite of major projects intended to transform rail travel across the island over coming decades. These include intercity electrification and line-speed improvements on the Dublin–Cork and Dublin–Belfast routes, aimed at reducing journey times, increasing capacity and supporting decarbonisation goals. Irish rail ambitions. © image: Irish Government During the 1990s and the decade of the Celtic Tiger economy, the Dublin government undertook a radical upgrade of the nation’s road network, but rail development was mainly confined to Dublin’s tram network. This time, it is the turn of rail. Further proposals include upgrades on Dublin’s Northern Line north of Connolly station. The aim is to unlock additional suburban and regional services. Longer-term commitments would see the restoration of rail connectivity to regions that have been without services for generations. Political backing and sequencing delivery Ministers on both sides of the border have welcomed the practical mechanism for turning strategic vision into deliverable projects. Irish ministers have emphasised the focus on accessibility, regional balance and early wins, while Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister has highlighted rail’s role in addressing economic imbalance and strengthening cross-border links. Developed with support from the European Investment Bank and in collaboration with the National Transport Authority, Iarnród Éireann (in Ireland) and Translink (in Northern Ireland), the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy aims to ensure that rail investment decisions are “evidence-led, affordable and sequenced for maximum impact”. The strategy marks a significant step in Ireland’s long-term rail revival, even if some destinations remain further down the line than their advocates would wish.