More views to be sought from the public on Cork Luas project

Residents and businesses along the proposed route of the multi-million-euro Cork Luas project are to be given a second chance to air their views on a project that has split public opinion.

The first public consultation process highlighted significant concerns among individuals, businesses, and organisations, with the National Transport Authority (NTA) confirming more than 1,000 submissions were received.

The consultation feedback demonstrated strong public support for light rail in Cork, with 55% of the submissions expressing satisfaction or neutral support for the specific route proposed.

However, 45% of submissions expressed dissatisfaction with the route.

Concerns aired also included cost, disruption during construction and operation, accessibility, and a desire to extend it to communities not included on the initial emerging preferred route.

Luas Cork is a proposed 18km light rail line that will deliver a high-capacity public transport link between Ballincollig and Mahon, via the city centre.

The emerging preferred route will connect key destinations including Munster Technological University, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Cork city centre, Kent Station, the Docklands, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and Mahon.

Amendments

The NTA has said a second round of public consultation will take place during the second quarter of this year. It said “some amendments are anticipated to be made to the scheme proposals”, details of which have not been released.

“Following the development of those revised designs, it is intended that TII [Transport Infrastructure Ireland] will undertake a second round of public consultation in Q2 2026, setting out a proposed preferred route,” the spokesperson said.

It said it hopes to proceed with a railway order application for the project late this year, once the final preferred route has been identified

Con Dennehy, licensee of The Venue Bar in Ballintemple, told The Echo that “no notification” of a second round of consultation has been shared with business owners in the area.

He said he is directly impacted by the project, as the current proposed line will see his premises demolished due to a required land take needed to facilitate the alignment of the route through Blackrock.

No notification

“Would you believe we have had no notification of that, this is the first I’ve heard of it,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor for the Cork city South East ward, Des Cahill, said the project is progressing at a “remarkable speed”.

He said: “We’ll have to see what the amendments to the proposal are, but in some ways, the train has left the station. I’m not very happy with the idea of new bridges on the river, I would prefer to see them look for alternatives as the potential sterilisation of the river will dramatically change the ethos of the city — but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Labour Party councillor for the Cork city South East ward, Peter Horgan, said the “sheer scale” of submissions received “shows the appetite from the people of Cork for a light rail system”.

He said: “I reiterate, we should be implementing spurs to Cork Airport, and towards Douglas and Carrigaline, to future-proof the light rail ecosystem, along with enhancing the northside areas that won’t be supported under the Cork commuter rail project.”