East Coast Railway Infrastructure Protection Projects

2026-07-22

The rail line extending southward from Dublin Connolly Station to Rosslare is one of the busiest lines in the Irish railway system. One in seven Irish rail passengers is travelling on this line and its importance will continue growing. The tracks are close to the shoreline and the impact of climate change is tangible as sea level rise and increased storm activity assault the line. Studies indicate that first parts of the rail line could be lost to coastal erosion within the next decade and that upkeep of the rail line will become untenable in the medium term without substantial protection measures. The objective of this project is to contribute to protecting 65 km of existing coastal railway, geographically divided into five Coastal Cell Areas, between Dublin and Rosslare from coastal erosion and flooding. It is part of the ‘East Coast Railway Infrastructure Protection Projects (ECRIPP)’, which will define necessary protection measures for securing the rail line until 2100. The project covers two out of the seven phases applicable for the ECRIPP project, in line with the Guidelines published by the National Transport Authority for infrastructure projects in Ireland. Scope & Purpose (phase 1) and Concept Development & Option Selection (phase 2) have already been completed. This project concerns the Preliminary Design (phase 3) and Statutory Processes (phase 4) needed to prepare the mitigation measures of building rock revetments and concrete seawalls. The project will bring all five Coastal Cell Areas to the submission of the Planning Applications and allow the project to proceed to the stage of detailed design and procurement of works. The project is organised around five key work packages corresponding to the geographical sections of the five Coastal Cell Areas, where identical services will be performed: - Preliminary designs and land take reports - Complete second round of public consultation - Prepare preliminary business case - Complete the Reference designs - Complete the Environmental Impact Assessments - Prepare the Planning application and submit to the permitting authority who confirms completeness. The geographical sections are Merrion to Dún Laoghaire (WP2), Dalkey Tunnel to Shanganagh Bray Wastewater Treatment Plant (WP3), Bray Head to Greystones North Beach (WP4), Greystones to Newcastle (WP5), and Newcastle to Wicklow Harbour (WP6). The project includes an innovative element “bathymetric survey” (WP7) to establish the effectiveness of measures and to assess the impact of storm events over time. This will enhance the knowledge base for further climate resilience works.

Ireland

2025-11-01