Iarnród Éireann is to place orders for 120 new railway carriages at an estimated cost of €300 million to enhance the frequency and capacity of inter-city services.
The latest order is in addition to the 67 carriages already on order and will be for Diesel Multiple Units - railcars with integrated engines in each carriage rather than the traditional locomotive-hauled trains.
The company has already commenced the tendering process and expects to sign contracts by the end of December. The purchase is being funded by the Government through the National Development Plan 2000-2006.
"Our focus in the last five years, by necessity, had to be the upgrading of infrastructure for safety benefits and to ensure the future of our routes.," said a spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann.
"Now, we are transforming the quality and comfort of our fleet, delivering tangible benefits for our current and future customers and the communities we serve," he added.
Once delivery of both orders of carriages is completed in 2007 Iarnród Éireann expects to be able to provide hourly services from Dublin to Cork, Limerick and Galway at peak times.
Trains will run on the Dublin-Waterford and Dublin-Sligo every two hours and the frequency of services to Westport, Tralee and Rosslare will also be improved.
Features of the new railcar fleet will include 100 mph operation, full access for mobility-impaired customers, automatic PA and information display systems, air-conditioning, and internal CCTV system for improved security.