The European rail industry association UNIFE is calling on the Irish government to use its position as holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to support the expansion of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the main instrument for financing transport infrastructure at the European level.
The European Union is urged to significantly increase the budget allocated to transportation, particularly for railway projects in Ireland, such as Metrolink—the planned metro project for the Dublin metropolitan area—in the context of negotiations on the future Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034. Increased funding could help reduce traffic congestion in Ireland’s major cities and accelerate the development of the rail network.
Much greater investment is needed
“It is encouraging to see the Metrolink project underway, but this is only the beginning. Ireland needs significantly more European funding to support its rail plans, so that more and more people can give up their cars and use public transportation to reduce traffic congestion,” said UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe.
Currently, the Connecting Europe Facility, part of the proposed EU budget for 2028–2034, is estimated at EUR 51.5 billion. However, representatives of the rail industry believe this amount is insufficient and should be increased to at least EUR 100 billion to enable the implementation of relevant rail projects in Ireland and across Europe.
Irish cities such as Dublin, Cork, and Galway continue to face major traffic congestion, and expanding the rail network could have a significant impact on urban mobility. According to Irish government strategies, up to 700,000 people could live within 5 kilometers of a train station once the planned investments are completed.
UNIFE emphasizes that investments should not only focus on expanding infrastructure but also on modernizing signaling systems, tracks, level crossings, and rolling stock to increase the frequency and quality of rail services.
“With funding of at least EUR 100 billion in the next EU budget for the Connecting Europe Facility, many more rail and tram projects in Ireland could be supported. We will support any initiative by the Irish government in this direction,” Enno Wiebe added.
At the same time, the European rail industry believes that the success of these investments also depends on reforms in public procurement and reducing bureaucracy, in order to maintain the sector’s competitiveness.
Ireland also plays an important role in discussions regarding the revision of the European railway regulatory framework, which could directly influence the future development of rail transport across the European Union.
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