The second largest city in the State was to get a €1 billion light rail line as part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.

A high-capacity, high-frequency public transportation link connecting Cork's eastern suburbs to its western suburbs was anticipated to carry passengers to a number of important locations, including Kent Station, the city centre, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork University Hospital, and University College Cork.

Leo Varadkar was asked if he would consider it if it was brought before Cabinet in 2024 at his end-of-year media briefing.

Although the light rail Luas system has “worked extremely well in Dublin,” according to the Taoiseach, and he would like to see more of it, he believed that a concept more like to the Dart would function better in Cork.

“The Cork Metropolitan Rail is unquestionably the top priority in Cork. Thus, you'll be aware that we're going around Midleton twice and that plans call for a completely new network of stations surrounding Cork,” he stated.

Therefore, I guess BusConnects is the top priority when it comes to public transit in Cork. Additionally, Cork Metropolitan Rail is being upgraded along its current lines and additional stations are being added. You may think of it as a Cork Dart. And in the medium run, I believe it to be something more attainable.

“Having a heavy rail, Dart-type system for Cork is genuinely achievable in the next five to ten years and I think that's what we should be aiming to do,” he continued. “We already have the railway order for the double tracking to Midleton.”