AQW 9725/22-27

Mr Stephen Dunne
Democratic Unionist Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 09/04/2024
Answered On Date: 24/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) his Department’s planned funding for upgrades to the Enterprise Rail service; and (ii) whether any of the funds were reallocated from other areas of his Department’s budget.

Answer:

I welcome the announcement of the €165million investment from the PEACEPLUS Programme, that was announced earlier this month. This funding will support a major programme to transform the cross-border “Enterprise” train service, paving the way for an hourly timetable between Belfast and Dublin. This programme involves replacing the existing Enterprise trains with brand new trains by the end of this decade, allowing for an hourly timetable and faster journey times between Dublin and Belfast. The procurement process for the new train-sets is expected to be complete over the coming year, and the final costs will not therefore be determined until this statutory process is completed.

The project, which is a high priority for me and my Department, will be jointly funded by the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) and the Department of Transport (DoT) as well as the confirmed PEACEPLUS allocation.