Pádraig O’Sullivan TD; Kevin Burke, DFLB Consulting Engineers; Minister Darragh O’Brien TD; Clara O’Neill, CBA Executive; Cliona Barnes, CBA Director; Dave O’Brien, CBA President and Minister of State Jerry Buttimer TD.

Business group and transport minister meet

Steven Fox

Published: Wed 8 Apr 2026, 12:30 PM

Last updated: Wed 8 Apr 2026, 12:45 PM

The imminent extension of National Transport Authority (NTA) statutory planning powers to Cork, a planned review of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) in 2026, and progress on the Cork Luas Emerging Preferred Route were all discussed by the Cork Business Association (CBA) and Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien recently.

Members of the CBA met with the Minister for Transport, Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien to discuss the advancement of critical transport priorities for Cork.

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Jerry Buttimer TD, Séamus McGrath TD, and Pádraig O’Sullivan TD were also present.

The meeting focused on both immediate actions and long-term infrastructure planning required to support Cork’s continued growth.

It also highlighted key developments in rail infrastructure, including the delivery of new stations at Dunkettle and Blackpool/Kilbarry as part of the Cork Area Commuter Rail project.

A spokesperson for the CBA emphasised the urgent need to address what they said were “underperforming city bus services” and to accelerate the delivery of BusConnects Cork.

They also highlighted a number of infrastructure that they said was vital for enabling growth, such as park and ride facilities at Dunkettle and Ballincollig, the Cork Northern Distributor Road, and improved connectivity to Cork Airport.

Improved connectivity via the Great Island Road to support development of the Docklands, future rail links to Cork Airport, Carrigaline and Ringaskiddy, and a stronger presence from agencies including the NTA, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Land Development Agency (LDA) were also emphasised.

The CBA also reiterated its commitment to advocating for key priorities, including statutory backing for CMATS, the immediate delivery of Park & Ride infrastructure, acceleration of BusConnects Cork, and the establishment of a dedicated transport delivery unit co-located at City Hall.

“Transport investment remains essential to supporting Cork city centre, improving accessibility, and strengthening Cork’s competitiveness as a place to live, work, and do business.

“With over 149,500 daily car commuters and ongoing population growth, transport capacity is now a critical issue for Cork’s future economic development and liveability.

“We would like to express our appreciation to Minister Darragh O’Brien, Seamus McGrath TD, Jerry Buttimer TD, and Pádraig O’Sullivan TD for their engagement and commitment.

“Thanks also to Kevin Burke of the DBFL Consulting Engineers Transport team for his valuable input and advice during the meeting,” they said.