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Galway Cathedral behind the Corrib River (Rihardzz\/Dreamstime)<\/p>\nGalway Cathedral behind the Corrib River (Rihardzz\/Dreamstime)<\/p>\n
\nThe Republic of Ireland has announced it will spend \u20ac24.3bn on transport between 2026 and 2030, including funding for public transport, roads, maritime and aviation.\n<\/p>\n
\u20ac22.3bn will come from the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport and \u20ac2bn from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund which will support the MetroLink development, an 18.8km metro in Dublin<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u20ac10bn will go towards public transport spending, including the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, construction on both the DART+ programme and the Western Rail Corridor, maintaining the heavy rail network and construction of bus corridors in Cork, Dublin and Galway.<\/p>\n \u20ac9.7bn will be spent on roads, including restoration work and building new roads, bypasses and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.<\/p>\n \u20ac1.8bn will fund 1,000km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths.<\/p>\n \u20ac145m will go towards the Irish Coast Guard building programme and \u20ac44.6m will be spent on regional airports.<\/p>\n Jerry Buttimer, minister of state at the department of rural and community development, said<\/a>: \u201cReliable and accessible transport is essential for rural communities to thrive.<\/p>\n \u201cThis investment will strengthen local connectivity by enhancing and supporting rural transport infrastructure, improving the services on offer in regional hubs, and supporting active travel options that make everyday journeys easier and safer.\u201d<\/p>\n Darragh O\u2019Brien, minister for transport, said: \u201cIt is not just about building infrastructure\u2014it is about shaping the kind of transport system we want, delivering sustainable and accessible options to connect us all.\u201d<\/p>\n