Rosslare Woman Appointed to CIÉ Youth Board to Help Shape Future of Public Transport

A 23-year-old woman from Rosslare in County Wexford has been selected to help shape the future of public transport in Ireland.

Marykate Donohoe is among 12 young people appointed to the new CIÉ Youth Board, which will provide a youth perspective on the development of bus and rail services across the country.

The finance analyst and Trinity College Dublin Business Studies graduate was selected from 86 applicants nationwide.

The new board, made up of young people aged between 18 and 24, met for the first time at CIÉ headquarters in Dublin's Heuston Station today.

Members will work with CIÉ and its operating companies, including Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann, offering feedback and recommendations on how public transport can better meet the needs of younger generations.

Speaking about her appointment, Marykate said her own experiences travelling between Dublin and Wexford have highlighted the importance of accessible and reliable services.

"I'm delighted to be joining CIÉ's Youth Board to help make a positive change for transport in Ireland.

"I rely on both bus and train to get around Dublin and to travel home to Wexford, and I know first-hand that public transport works best when it is frequent, reliable and easy to use.

"I want to make sure young people across the country feel they have a real say in how our public transport develops, and I'm especially interested in using my voice to ensure that choosing public transport is the easy choice for my generation."

CIÉ Chair Aidan Murphy said the organisation's first Youth Board, established in 2024, had brought fresh ideas and valuable insights to the transport sector.

He said the decisions being made today would shape how young people travel for decades to come.

As part of their first meeting, the new members will also visit Iarnród Éireann's Inchicore Works, where they will see one of the new battery-electric trains expected to enter service in 2027.

The Youth Board will serve a two-year term, contributing ideas on transport accessibility, reliability and sustainability.

Marykate is the only County Wexford representative among the 12 newly appointed members.