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>Irish Rail has opened Ireland's first purpose-built modular simulator training centre for Dart drivers at its historic Inchicore Railway Works. > >The 1,100 sq m facility, delivered by Cpac Modular, the Co Meath modern methods of construction specialist contractor, forms part of Irish Rail's wider Dart expansion programme. > £The facility is designed to train drivers using advanced simulation technology as the national rail operator prepares for a significant expansion of its electrified network.

>This is not an argument for privatisation. Nor is it a criticism of the thousands of Irish Rail staff who keep trains running every day. The question is whether the company itself would benefit from bringing in an experienced international operating or delivery partner to help manage one of the largest rail investment programmes in the country’s history. Ireland’s railway has never had greater political support or more money behind it. The question now is whether it also has the capability to deliver on that promise for passengers.

>Commuters can expect plenty of disruption, but no new lines, until at least the next general election.

>Public transport users outside Dublin are unlikely to gain access to contactless payment systems until after 2028. > >That is despite more than €35 million already having been spent nationally on the project. Transport minister Darragh O'Brien made the admission in response to a parliamentary question.

>The Centre for Transport Research at Trinity College Dublin has just published a study of 2,000 motorists who frequently use Dublin’s M50. Not surprisingly, the findings of the survey show that over the past twelve months, journey times have increased for the vast majority of respondents. Rising levels of congestion are having severe social, economic and general well-being impacts on M50 users. 

>Track upgrade north of Malahide and at Clongriffin, electrification of 37km of network from Malahide to Drogheda planned

>The Government is to accelerate the extension of the Luas network to Finglas with construction now earmarked for 2028 rather than in the 2030s, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said. >The Minister said the aim now was that the main design and build contract for the 3.9km off-road project, which will link up with the existing Luas line and mainline rail services at Broombridge, will go to tender early next year.

>IAG’s strategy was designed to “generate sustainable profit growth in the medium term”, he said. >“In the coming years, we plan to increase our capacity in line with the mix of growth we are seeing in our markets and with planned aircraft deliveries,” Gallego said. >“We expect this growth to continue to be supported by tight global supply dynamics. Both delays in aircraft deliveries and the fact that a proportion of these aircraft are being used for replacement rather than growth are the main reasons for this dynamic,” he added.

>We shared our reader’s story with Irish Rail. The company’s response seems unlikely to make our reader feel any better about her experience, but here it is. “Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen technical issue with the HVAC on this train during service,” a spokeswoman said. “Whilst the air-conditioning functionality of the system failed to cool the carriage, the system was not producing heat and continued to provide ventilation throughout the journey.”

>Last week, it was revealed that nearly €7m has been spent on storage and servicing of 132 electric buses.

>The plan for Luas Cork includes up to 27 stops running from Ballincollig to Mahon Point. > >It would connect several destinations in the city, including Munster Technological University, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, the city centre, Kent Station, Cork Docklands, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Blackrock and Mahon. > >In April, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) revealed the preferred route for the project and said the route is similar to another revealed last year but includes “some improvements, including the addition of new stops and reconfiguring other stops to minimise the impact on local residents and businesses.” > >It said the changes will shorten journey times and reduce traffic congestion and provide an alternative to cars for people travelling to Cork University Hospital.

> Aer Lingus’s history offers little protection with IAG losing patience

>Deputy Collins said people who lived in West Cork in the 19th century could travel directly to Cork city by train yet in 2026, a reliable bus service that connects West Cork with the main train station isn’t available. “Basic public transport connections that should be straightforward are still missing. People are left relying on cars because the alternatives simply don’t work.

>If Aer Lingus is allowed, or forced, to shrink then it will further down the pecking order at IAG and lose ground to international competition and Ryanair. The areas in where to cut costs and trim fat may seem obvious, but if executed perfectly there are areas outside its control. The fuel crunch being felt by the aviation industry is not going anywhere and competition is heating up as other carriers sense opportunity. And while Embleton can seek to control employee costs, any significant restructuring will no doubt be met by resistance from trade unions, including IALPA, the powerful pilots union.

>Making Ireland’s charging infrastructure fit for purpose is arguably a bigger piece of the puzzle. As things stand, it is woefully inadequate with the 4,000 charging points dotted around the country amounting to less than one third of the EU average. >Meanwhile, the hundreds of thousands of people in homes where off-street charging is not an option are left asking how they are to manage in the new world of cleaner driving.

>Starting next week Oireachtas committees will begin investigations into how this happened. >Both Irish Rail and the National Transport Authority (NTA), the State agency responsible for developing public transport, will face questions on the IT system and whether a €50 million investment has been lost for good.

>The airport announced late on Tuesday afternoon that its south runway — which ordinarily operates all night-time traffic at the airport — would shut for emergency repair works from 11pm that night until 5am. >The airport handled more than 90 flights during that period, the vast majority of them arrivals approaching from the Irish Sea. >On a normal night, those landings would be routed across the southern area of Portmarnock on the coast close to the airport. >However, on Tuesday night until after 3am on Wednesday, the landing planes were routed across the northern area of the town.

> Company sources say Aer Lingus is offering voluntary redundancy to 15 to 20 senior and general managers in the organisation as part of its bid to cut costs. >The move has sparked concern among other groups of workers that the company could seek to cut further jobs should the Middle East crisis continue to pressurise fuel costs in coming months.

>Oxford University professor Bent Flyvbjerg, an international expert on delivering megaprojects, said the Government needs to prioritise planning the delivery of new schemes, rather than rushing to make them shovel-ready. > >He said just because the country has the finances to support works does not mean construction should be rushed. > >Prof Flyvbjerg also said introducing a system where any future cost overruns are split between the State and contractors should help to avoid massive budget overspends in future.