Ballybrophy becomes second 'Age Friendly' train station in Ireland

RTÉ News​

02-05-2025

Ballybrophy train station in Co Laois has become the second train station in the country to be awarded Age Friendly status.
The station underwent a comprehensive World Health Organization four-stage process to secure its Age Friendly status.
The process included a walkability study, examining station areas and roadways.
Accessible toilets, age-friendly car parking spaces and wheelchair accessible spaces are some of the improvements that were made.
The initiative was led by Age Friendly Ireland in collaboration with the Laois Age Friendly Programme, Laois County Council and Iarnród Éireann.
Ballybrophy Train Station now joins Kilkenny's MacDonagh Train Station and a growing number of public services and buildings across the country that have gone through the process.
"Making public transport more accessible and age-friendly is part of the toolkit to ensure older people can age well and remain connected and integrated in their communities," said Minister for Older People Kieran O'Donnell.
Iarnród Éireann said it wants all 146 train stations across the country to attain Age Friendly status.
"Our vision for rail in Ireland is to be the backbone of an integrated, sustainable, and accessible public transport network, connecting and serving all of Ireland's communities," said Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann Jim Meade.
"Today, with the recognition of Ballybrophy as an Age Friendly Station, we're delighted to launch of the first phase of our Age Friendly Stations Initiative - an initiative which ultimately intends for each of our 146 stations to attain Age Friendly Status," he said.
"We're investing in infrastructure upgrades across the network to enhance accessibility and facilitate safe, independent access for more of our customers, while also providing our staff with Accessibility and Disability Awareness training," Mr Meade added.
Initiatives like these are helping us to provide a better, more inclusive service to customers," he said.
Other stations including Dublin's Heuston, Kildare, Limerick Colbert, Tullamore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dalkey, Wicklow, Carlow, Killarney are going through the audit and reporting phases to attain the Age Friendly status.