Charting a more sustainable future for Ireland’s transportation infrastructure
Ireland’s path to a more sustainable future is being paved by two leading engineering companies, Egis and JB Barry & Partners, as they combine forces to confront the nation’s transport and infrastructure challenges. With their shared expertise, they are striving to help create a greener and more connected Ireland.
Global expertise, local impact
Egis is a leading global consulting, construction engineering and operation firm, working across every aspect of transport and the built environment to build a more balanced sustainable and resilient world. In 2022, the group achieved a turnover of €1.48 billion, with 16,000 employees working in over 100 countries helping clients reimagine how buildings and cities, infrastructure and utilities, mobility and transport are designed and engineered.
In 1994, Egis was appointed to carry out the design, engineering, procurement, and testing & commissioning of the first two lines of Dublin’s Luas LRT system, comprising 25km of track, 14 Citadis 401 40m tram sets, 26 Citadis 301 30m tram sets, 36 stations, the Red line depot at Red Cow, and the Green line depot at Sandyford.
Since 1994, as lead designer for Luas lines A and B, Egis has been a trusted name in Ireland delivering major infrastructure projects such as the operation, maintenance, and asset management of over 470km of motorway, structures, and tunnels, including the iconic Mary McAleese Bridge spanning the Boyne Valley, and Dublin Tunnel – one of Europe’s longest urban tunnels. Recently, Egis further demonstrated their commitment to Ireland by acquiring JB Barry & Partners, a long established and highly regarded civil engineering business. Together, Egis and JB Barry & Partners now form one of the largest multidisciplinary consultancy firms in Ireland.
For both organisations, the acquisition will accelerate growth in the country and enable both Egis and JB Barry & Partners to better support clients in delivering important major infrastructure projects as part of Project Ireland 2040, such as smart cities, climate change programmes and updates and improvements to critical transport, water, and energy infrastructure.
With Egis’ 70-year track record of delivering major rail, metro, light rail, maritime, and waterway projects worldwide, coupled with its deep local knowledge of the Irish market, it is strongly positioned to support Ireland’s vision for a cleaner, greener, and more connected future.
JB Barry & Partners, founded in 1959, has a rich history in sectors such as water and wastewater, development and structures, and energy and sustainability. Its subsidiary, Barry Transportation, established in 2000, has developed significant expertise in roads, structures, and public transport. Noteworthy projects include upgrades to the iconic Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest treatment facility in the country, planning the development of the N/M20 Cork to Limerick multimodal transport corridor, and acting as contractors designer for the N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development, one of the largest construction projects nationally.
Building connections for communities
Egis and JB Barry & Partners have already collaborated on a number of key rail and light rail projects in Ireland, such as the Luas Green Line extension to Finglas, which includes the development of four new stops, two bridges, a park and ride facility, and adaptations to Broombridge depot. The 4km extension will create a new public transport connection that benefits communities in Charlestown, Finglas Village, Finglas West, St Helena’s, Tolka Valley, and the city centre. In Cork, Egis and JB Barry are delivering the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR), a project that will establish a fully integrated metropolitan area rail network for the city. The CACR programme will enhance and develop over 62km of rail network from Mallow, through to Cork, Cobh, and Midleton.
Another example of their collaboration for transport planning is the Galway to Athenry railway corridor, which presents unique challenges due to the high demand for capacity improvements. Egis and JB Barry & Partners recently conducted a comprehensive feasibility study for the corridor, focusing on three main service corridors that interface with the infrastructure. The study considered the Galway InterCity, which connects Galway and Dublin, the Western Rail Corridor Line, generating traffic from Limerick/Ennis to Galway, and the Galway City Hinterland Corridor, aimed at improving railway services for commuting journeys. The study’s goal was to identify short-, medium-, and long-term capacity improvement options for Galway, considering the conclusions of previous studies and exploring new potential solutions.
Looking ahead, Egis and JB Barry and Partners are actively engaged in several significant projects, particularly in the light rail, rail, public transport, active travel, and greenway sectors. Noteworthy initiatives include the Living Streets projects in Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, and the Coast Mobility Route. These projects aim to enhance active travel facilities, promote sustainability, and encourage greater use of alternative modes of transportation in the Dublin area.
A shared mission and commitment
In addition to their successful history of collaboration, both companies have a shared mission to provide clients with environmentally conscious solutions that prioritise energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and sustainability. From eco-friendly land reclamation to reducing emissions, the environment is at the heart of every project. Together, they are committed to reducing emissions by implementing best practices for environmental management throughout their planning and operations processes. They continuously strive to improve operational efficiency, minimise resource consumption, waste generation, and emissions, while monitoring and continually improving environmental performance.
The partnership between Egis and JB Barry & Partners shows a significant step forward for sustainable infrastructure development in Ireland. Their collective expertise, innovative solutions, and commitment to environmental responsibility position both as key players in addressing the country’s infrastructure, mobility, and sustainable development challenges.
Together, we are building a brighter future for Ireland—one that is both environmentally responsible and economically sound.
T: +353 1 469 1200
E: info@egis.ie
W: www.egis-projects.ie
