From Derry to Cork, the Irish can now travel swiftly on the high-speed train.
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan have agreed to begin a feasibility study for high-speed rail.
The route will be Derry – Belfast – Dublin – Limerick – Cork.
Minister Mallon said the high-speed rail project aims to provide better facilities and opportunities to the people in an instant by connecting different parts of the country.
The Belfast-Dublin-Limerick Junction-Cork route is considered the backbone of Ireland’s rail service, Transport Minister Ryan said.
“While the Belfast-Dublin-Limerick Junction-Cork line is recognised as the spine of rail connectivity on the island, we need to ensure that any review of speed considers the wider network and in particular connectivity to the North-West.” he said.
However, a broader discussion of train speeds is needed. He also said that discussions were needed on extending the railway service to the north-western regions.
He added that the new study on high-speed rail would contribute to the future development of the railway sector in Ireland.