Irish Rail launches recruitment drive to fill 130 roles within company

Recruitment drive! Up to 100 train driver and 30 electrician positions available with Iarnród Éireann.

Irish Rail has launched a new recruitment campaign to hire train drivers and electricians, with a specific focus on hiring more women and people from diverse backgrounds and career paths.

The initiative will see a panel established to recruit up to 100 drivers and 30 electricians, with positions available in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Kerry.

The company has asked women to consider driving and electrician roles, following an increase in the number attending recent training classes.

The campaign also highlights the diverse backgrounds and career paths of recent recruits, from airlines to banking, Defence Forces and archaeology, to name but a few.

Driver roles are available at 12 locations across the country, including Dublin Heuston, Dublin Connolly, Dart in Fairview/Bray, Ballina, Athlone, Cork, Limerick, Mallow, Galway, Waterford, Sligo and Westport.

Recent investments in Iarnród Éireann’s network, fleet and customer service will see the impact of rail expand significantly over the following years.

The company’s investment programme, created as part of the National Development Plan and funded by the National Transport Authority and Department of Transport, will see major investments confirmed for all regional cities, including Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

Another area will include the introduction of the Dart+ programme, which aims to double the capacity of the Greater Dublin Area, with infrastructure works to extend the Dart to Maynooth / M3 Parkway, Drogheda and Hazelhatch, allowing more people to switch to rail for commuting.

Other areas of investment will include:

• A strategy to increase the number of freight trains five-fold; 
• Network investments to improve speed and service frequency on intercity networks;
• Record expenditure on fleet numbers, with 185 carriages on order and a further 750 carriages planned over the coming decade.

Chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade described the company as a “dynamic organisation”, offering excellent progression opportunities.

“With the planned expansion of services as part of the National Development Plan, and the long term outlook set out in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, it is an exciting time to become part of a growing organisation,” he said.

“We don’t just offer jobs, we offer careers and opportunity,” Mr Meade said, adding the company enables its staff to “make the most of their potential”.

“We are also seeing great interest in careers in Iarnród Éireann from a range of backgrounds — we are a diverse and inclusive employer, and in particular we urge more women to apply for driver and electrician roles and are encouraged by the increasing interest from women in recent recruitment drives,” he added.

Those interested in driver and electrician roles are advised to visit  www.irishrail.ie/careers for information and applications, along with other current vacancies in Iarnród Éireann.