Morning, Monday, 23rd November 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for transport infrastructure and services in Ireland as a new five-year investment programme gets under way and Budget 2027 sets out further spending priorities. Areas for discussion include major road and rail projects and the capacity to deliver them, public transport provision and fares, regional and all-island connectivity, active travel and road safety, and decarbonisation and climate resilience.
Following the €24.3bn transport commitment under the National Development Plan Review 2025 and publication of the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, stakeholders and policymakers will discuss priorities for investment across different modes, including new infrastructure, renewal of existing networks and the connections needed to support housing and regional development. Sessions will assess how projects are prioritised and sequenced, and the implications of funding pressures, project approvals, construction capacity, skills and supply chain constraints for the organisations responsible for delivery.
Delegates will also consider the implications of Budget 2027 for public transport funding, including the scope for expanding services, improving reliability and accessibility, and meeting rising operating costs. Planned fare increases from 2027 will be examined in relation to affordability and access, particularly for those with fewer travel options. The agenda will also look at priorities for road investment and maintenance, including the needs of motorists, freight operators and businesses.
As major schemes such as MetroLink, the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme and the Galway City Ring Road receive designation under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026, the conference will examine the implications for project coordination and delivery within existing planning and consenting arrangements. Delegates will consider regulatory capacity and how projects outside the designated group may be affected, alongside the operation of the Act’s modified climate duties and proposals for judicial review reform, including questions of environmental scrutiny and access to justice.
Further sessions will examine implementation of Moving Together: A Collaborative Approach to Systems Change in Transport and the Sustainable Mobility Policy Action Plan 2026-2030, particularly priorities for improving connectivity, providing workable alternatives to car travel and addressing congestion. Attendees will consider the capacity of local authorities, agencies and operators to deliver improvements, and the implications of demand management for rural and lower-income users, communities and businesses. Discussion will also assess the costs and practicalities of reducing emissions across transport modes, including road freight, and investment in the resilience of transport networks following the Climate Change Advisory Council’s recent Preparing for Ireland’s Changing Climate review.
Infrastructure investment, planning & delivery
Discussion will examine the readiness of major schemes and priorities for delivering investment commitments across the sector, in the context of the recently updated National Development Plan Construction Pipeline. Delegates will assess the certainty available to contractors, suppliers and public bodies, and the effect of procurement, approval requirements and capacity constraints on project timescales and costs. Sessions will also consider changes to planning and consenting, including their implications for public scrutiny.
Areas for discussion include:
- investment priorities:
- project prioritisation - sequencing across modes - multi-annual funding certainty - balancing new projects against asset renewal
- longer-term fiscal pressures and transport investment priorities following Budget 2027
- implications of the updated National Development Plan Construction Pipeline for workforce planning, delivery coordination and investment risk
- designation and prioritisation:
- criteria for project designation under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 - prioritisation within existing planning and consenting arrangements
- application of modified climate duties to designated projects
- judicial review reform:
- implementation of revised costs rules and proposed further reform - implications for timeliness, effective challenge and access to justice
- lessons learned from legal challenges affecting major transport projects
- delivery capability: procurement models and project governance - approval gates and business case requirements - coordination between government, agencies and local authorities
- capacity and cost: construction and engineering skills shortages - productivity, modern methods of construction and supply chain capacity - cost inflation and affordability
- development alignment: transport-oriented development under the revised National Planning Framework - supporting housing delivery and compact growth - freight and commercial demand
- public confidence: community engagement and consent - regional equity and balanced growth - addressing local concerns during project planning and delivery
Rail development & all-island connectivity
Sessions will consider implications of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review and the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy, including early capacity improvements, new and reinstated routes, and priorities for funding and delivery. Delegates will discuss opportunities for strengthening cross-border connectivity and partnership with Northern Ireland, including arrangements for joint planning and delivery and the implications for service frequency, journey times, freight connections and regional access to rail.
Areas for discussion include:
- practicalities and sequencing: translating the review’s recommendations into a delivery programme - early interventions for delivery by 2030 - how major projects are appraised and staged
- network capacity: intercity electrification and line speed improvements on the Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Belfast routes - passing loops, platforms and resilience works - additional capacity north of Connolly
- new and reinstated lines: the Western Rail Corridor - routes identified in NI and the border region - assessment, appraisal and funding arrangements
- cross-border delivery: joint governance and funding between administrations - alignment of planning and procurement across two jurisdictions - service, ticketing and timetable integration
- wider outcomes: rail freight growth and port connections - regional equity and rural access - public engagement in rail planning
Public transport, active travel & road safety
With a record 363.5 million public transport journeys recorded in 2025, sessions will assess priorities for service capacity, reliability and expansion, and for improving connectivity and accessibility across cities, towns and rural areas. Attendees will consider delivery of walking and cycling schemes, passenger experience and road safety priorities following the increase in fatalities recorded in 2025.
Areas for discussion include:
- service development: implementation of the Sustainable Mobility Policy Action Plan 2026-2030 - remaining rollout and review of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan - BusConnects delivery
- major programmes:
- MetroLink procurement following the Railway Order becoming operative in January 2026 - DART+ and the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme
- Luas extensions and light rail in Cork
- funding and fares: increased Public Service Obligation allocation - the National Fares Strategy and targeted fare initiatives - resourcing new and enhanced services
- accessibility and inclusion: accessible vehicles, stations and stops - demand-responsive and rural services - passenger information, reliability and experience
- walking and cycling: National Cycle Network Plan and the finalised CycleConnects plans - local authority delivery capacity and scheme design - Safe Routes to School Programme - greenway networks
- roads and road safety: Road Safety Strategy Phase 2 Action Plan 2025-2027 - national and regional road renewal and bypasses - speed limits and enforcement technology - driver testing and licensing reform
- digital tools and data: intelligent transport systems and traffic management - integrated ticketing, passenger information and service data - digitising driver and vehicle services and collision data sharing
Decarbonisation & sector resilience
Sessions will examine the costs and practical requirements of reducing emissions across transport modes, including vehicle electrification, renewable fuels, changes in freight operations and managing travel demand. Attendees will consider developments in aviation and ports policy, alongside the investment needed to protect transport infrastructure and services against flooding, storms and other climate risks, taking account of the CCAC’s Annual Review 2026 - Preparing for Ireland’s Changing Climate.
Areas for discussion include:
- emissions and carbon budgets:
- performance against transport sectoral emissions ceiling
- priorities for next Climate Action Plan update - demand management and modal shift under Moving Together
- electrification: draft National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2026-2028 - charge point reliability, accessibility and regional coverage - grid capacity for electrified rail, bus and truck fleets
- renewable fuels: Renewable Transport Fuel Policy 2025-2027 - setting annual obligation rates against supply, sustainability and pump price pressures - HVO and renewable fuels of non-bio origin
- freight and logistics: HGV and van decarbonisation - operating costs, fuel price exposure and competitiveness - modal shift and port-rail integration
- aviation:
- refreshing the National Aviation Policy - Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Act 2026 and environmental assessments that follow
- regional airports, connectivity and sustainable growth - implications of EU Emissions Trading System requirements for aviation
- maritime and ports: draft National Ports Policy - port capacity for offshore renewable energy - investment, funding models and governance
- climate resilience: storm, flood and coastal exposure across networks - adaptation planning and asset management - financing resilience alongside new build - next steps following the CCAC’s Annual Review 2026
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Department of Transport; Department of Education and Youth; Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation; Department for Infrastructure, NI; Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, NI; Department for the Economy, NI; and Northern Ireland Audit Office.
