O’Shea Calls for Urgent Action on Rail Wi-Fi as Response Deemed “Dismissive”

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea has today expressed strong disappointment at what he has described as a “dismissive and inadequate” response from Iarnród Éireann regarding persistent issues with poor Wi-Fi connectivity on the Cork–Dublin intercity rail service.

The issue was raised by Deputy O’Shea through a Parliamentary Question, following ongoing complaints from commuters across Cork North West and beyond. Many passengers—particularly those travelling for business—have highlighted their growing frustration at the inability to reliably work while using one of the State’s key public transport routes.

Despite these concerns, the response from the Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann confirmed that there are currently no plans to further improve onboard Wi-Fi services. While the existing system is described as 5G-compatible, the company indicated that improvements will depend largely on the gradual rollout of wider mobile network infrastructure, rather than any immediate investment or upgrade.

Commenting on the matter, Deputy O’Shea said “This response is deeply unsatisfactory and fails to reflect the very real and consistent concerns being raised by commuters. At a time when Government policy is rightly encouraging greater use of public transport for environmental and economic reasons, it is unacceptable that passengers on one of the country’s busiest intercity routes are dealing with such poor connectivity.”

Deputy O’Shea emphasised that the Cork–Dublin rail line is a vital economic corridor, linking Ireland’s second-largest city with Dublin and supporting thousands of daily commuters, students, and business travellers.

“For many people, particularly professionals, travel time is working time. Reliable Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury—it is a basic expectation. The current standard simply does not meet the needs of a modern, connected workforce.”

The Cork North West TD also raised concerns about the lack of a clear improvement strategy from Iarnród Éireann, warning that reliance on future 5G expansion alone is not sufficient to address present-day service deficiencies.

“Passengers deserve clarity and commitment. There must be a clear plan, with defined timelines, to upgrade onboard connectivity. It is not acceptable to defer responsibility to external network developments while commuters continue to experience substandard service.”

Deputy O’Shea has called on the Minister for Transport to take a more active role in holding transport providers to account and ensuring that service standards keep pace with passenger expectations. He also urged Iarnród Éireann to engage directly with passenger feedback and to prioritise practical improvements that would enhance the daily travel experience.

Concluding, Deputy O’Shea said “If we are serious about modernising our public transport system, we must also be serious about the quality of service being delivered. Investing in reliable onboard connectivity is a practical and necessary step. Commuters deserve better, and they should not have to wait years for improvements that are needed now.”