IN ITS LATEST recruitment drive, Iarnród Éireann has “urged” women in particular to consider becoming train drivers.

Iarnród Éireann has today launched a new campaign to recruit Intercity and Commuter drivers.

Recruitment for DART Drivers is also ongoing.

The company is asking women in particular to consider driving roles and said there were increased numbers of women in its recent trainee classes. 

Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Mary Considine, remarked that the company is “seeing great interest in careers from a range of backgrounds”.

She added: “We are a diverse and inclusive employer, and in particular we urge more women to apply for driver roles and are encouraged by the increasing interest from women in recent recruitment drives.

“We don’t just offer jobs, we offer careers and opportunity.”

Considine also noted that recent driver recruits have come from a diverse range of previous careers, including banking, the Defence Forces and archaeology.

Iarnród Éireann said it is looking for drivers nationwide and candidates must be willing to work various shift patterns, including weekend work.  

Meanwhile, the salary scale can reach €69,000.

Applicants must have a minimum of nine years full time education and be over the age of 20

The application process includes an initial online application and assessments, face to face assessments, competency-based interviews, as well as “rigorous” medical and safety reference checking.

Considine added that “it’s an exciting time to become part of a growing organisation”.

The company’s investment programme, part of the National Development Plan, is set to see rail services grow and customer service enhanced over the coming years.

This will include record fleet investment, with 285 new electric and battery-electric DART carriages on order and entering service from next year, as well as a new Enterprise fleet planned on the Dublin to Belfast line.

Work is also ongoing on the expansion of the Cork Area Commuter Rail area and there are plans for capacity expansion on Galway and Limerick routes.