Ireland will receive more than €112 million in funding from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility for Transport (CEF Transport) to enhance its transport infrastructure. The funding will support two major projects in Dublin and Cork, as well as three multi-country projects involving Irish partners.
Dublin Port Project
Dublin Port Company, handling over 50% of Ireland’s port tonnage, has been awarded €73.8 million for its ‘MP2’ Project. This project will increase berth capacity to accommodate future demand for Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) freight. The funding will be used to construct two new berths, Berth 52 and Berth 53, at Terminal 5, complete with onshore power supply infrastructure. The MP2 Project aims to handle larger vessels and projected traffic increases until 2040.
Cork Port Project
The Port of Cork Company will receive €38.4 million for the construction of two quay berths at Ringaskiddy deep water port. These new berths will support the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) industry and include onshore power supply infrastructure. This project follows the recent opening of the €94 million Cork Container Terminal at Ringaskiddy, also funded by the CEF.
Multi-Country Projects
Ireland is also involved in three multi-country consortium projects that received funding, including ‘Clean ATM 2’ and ‘Green CNS’ for air navigation and traffic management, and the C-Roads European ITS Platform for roads.
Government Reactions
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan praised the funding, highlighting the importance of modern, sustainable transport infrastructure for Ireland’s connectivity and renewable energy transformation. Minister of State James Lawless emphasized the significance of efficient port operations for Ireland’s economy, aligning with the National Development Plan (NDP) and National Ports Policy.
The CEF Transport funding supports the development of the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network and is awarded through competitive calls for proposals. The recent funding announcement follows the 2023 CEF Transport Call, which saw 408 applications from across Europe. The selected projects will now enter grant agreements to finalize the funding.