Temporary Adare train station to be built for Ryder Cup

A temporary train station is to be constructed in Adare, Co Limerick, as part of plans for hosting the Ryder Cup.

The work on the station is expected to take six months and cost around €3 million.

The Ryder Cup will take place from 13 to 19 September next year.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Head of Corporate Communications at Iarnród Éireann Barry Kenny said that previously funded developments for the Foynes freight line allowed for the opportunity.

"There's significant investment in the area in transport infrastructure generally, and also in the wider public transport operation for the Ryder Cup," he said.

"We have been developing the Foynes freight line, that’s going to be complete by the end of this year.

"That obviously affords the opportunity for this major event, where you're going to have thousands of people moving at the one time, to offer passenger service as well," Mr Kenny said.

Mr Kenny said that the only service in and out of Adare will be a shuttle service as far as Limerick Junction.

"The plan at the moment, again this is working with the NTA and Ryder Cup Europe, is to operate a shuttle service between Limerick Junction and Adare," he said.

"The people travelling in the early hours from the likes of Dublin and Cork and Kerry can connect at Limerick Junction to a service direct to Adare.

"This is one part of a far wider public transport operation and park-and-ride operation that will take place," Mr Kenny said, adding that there will be no service between Limerick Colbert and Adare.

Mr Kenny said that the works began this week, and that a case will be made to make the station in Adare a permanent fixture.

"We're working with the NTA in terms of the final service offering, but the works have now begun this week, and will be completed by the end of the year," he said.

"As the service has been invested in and the line developed for freight services, and we obviously expect to have very significant volumes of freight services operating, I think (for) a single station at Adare, further investment work would be needed to connect directly into Limerick.

"That isn't something that's funded right at the moment.

"Our view certainly is, and working with NTA and local authorities, is that there is very much the opportunity to invest and develop that as a passenger line in the future, after the freight line is set in place," he added.