The Taoiseach has offered an update on plans for Cork’s light rail system

It’s all pretty vague, TBH.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that building a DART-style light rail system connecting Cork’s suburbs and city neighbourhoods is “doable in five to 10 years” time.
A €1bn proposal, published last year as part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, offered some options to connect busy spots such as Ballincollig, the proposed Cork Science and Innovation Park (CSIP), Munster Technological University, Cork University Hospital (CUH), University College Cork (UCC), Cork City Centre, Kent Station/Cork North Docklands, Cork South Docklands and Mahon.
Around 25 stations would be needed along the route, with an estimated total journey time of 47 minutes.
However, the Taoiseach said he now believes a DART-style system would be better for Leeside commuters and “more achievable”.
Speaking at a media briefing, Varadkar said the priority, in terms of public transport in Cork, “is, I suppose, BusConnects.”
“It’s also the Cork Metropolitan Rail, which is upgrading the existing train service on the existing lines and putting in new stations, sort of a Cork Dart, if you like. And I think that’s probably something more achievable in the medium term.”
“We have the railway order already for the double tracking to Midleton, so having a heavy rail, Dart-type system for Cork is genuinely achievable in the next five to 10 years, and I think that’s what we should be aiming to do.”
We won’t hold our breath on this one.

