|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Dublin: Ireland has been awarded more than €26 million in funding under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility for Transport (CEF Transport), supporting five key infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing connectivity, sustainability, and climate resilience across the country’s transport network.
🇮🇪 National Projects: Rosslare Europort and Coastal Rail Protection
- ‘GREEN DRIFT’ Project – €19.2 million
Led by Iarnród Éireann/Rosslare Europort, this initiative will upgrade Berth 3 to accommodate larger vessels, refurbish Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ramps, and install onshore power supply at both Rosslare and Dunkirk ports. The project targets emission reduction and climate adaptation in maritime infrastructure. - ‘ECRIPP’ Project – €2.7 million
Also led by Iarnród Éireann, this study will assess mitigation strategies for 65 km of coastal railway between Dublin and Rosslare, addressing erosion and flooding risks linked to climate change. The route forms part of Ireland’s segment of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
🌐 Multi-Country Projects with Irish Participation
- Clean ATM 3 and ATN Multilink Expansion
These projects aim to modernize air traffic management systems across European airspace, improving efficiency and safety. - VERKKO Project
Supported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), VERKKO will deploy intelligent transport systems (ITS) to enhance digital traffic management and real-time information sharing across 12 countries.
🗣️ Government Endorsement
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien praised the selection of Irish projects from 265 applications across Europe, calling them vital to the development of a resilient and competitive transport system.
Minister of State Seán Canney highlighted the rapid growth in RoRo traffic at Rosslare—up 398% in three years—and emphasized the importance of building sustainable port infrastructure to support expanding trade routes.
📌 CEF Transport Overview
CEF Transport is the EU’s primary funding mechanism for developing the TEN-T network, offering grants that typically cover 20% to 50% of eligible project costs. The 2024 call saw 94 successful applications, with final grant agreements now being prepared by CINEA, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
You can read the full announcement from the Department of Transport.
