Emmanuel Boutard: Signalling the future of rail in Cork

When Emmanuel Boutard moved to Cork, it was more than a career step, it was a commitment to a city, a community and a transport network undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation.
 
Emmanuel is Project Director for Alstom, a leading global company focused on innovative and sustainable rail solutions. He is overseeing Alstom’s work on one of the country’s most significant railway infrastructure upgrades; a €78.5 million signalling contract to treble the number of trains which can operate between Cork and Cobh, Midleton and Mallow.
 
The project forms part of the wider Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) programme, which – with new stations and an electrified commuter network – supports a more sustainable, low-carbon transport system by encouraging a shift from private car use to public transport.
 
From a recently established Cork office to kilometres of trackside cabling, the work under way by Alstom will help shape how people move across the Cork metropolitan region for decades to come.
 
From Brittany to Cork
 
Originally from Brittany in France, Emmanuel brings with him more than 25 years of international rail and signalling experience – and he has embraced Cork wholeheartedly since making it his base.
 
“I feel very much at home here,” he says. “There is a strong maritime culture, a great appreciation of food and wine, and a real sense of pride in doing things properly.”
 
When not on site or with project teams, Emmanuel can often be found sailing with Kinsale Yacht Club, exploring the county’s diverse food scene or cycling along the Cork Harbour Greenway. He’s even found time to establish his own wine tasting club – Uncorked Wine Society. The group continues to go from strength to strength, building vibrant collaborations with local businesses including Hotel Metropole and gourmet shop On the Pigs Back, and partnering with French chefs to celebrate a shared love of food and culinary heritage.
 
Putting roots down in Cork
 
Alstom officially opened its Cork office in July 2023, firmly signalling its long-term commitment to the region. Around 20 employees are now based locally, working alongside colleagues in Dublin, across the UK and within international engineering centres.
 
“This isn’t a fly-in, fly-out project,” Emmanuel explains. “We are embedded here – working closely with Irish Rail, local suppliers and the wider business community.”
 
That local presence matters. From Alstom’s office on Horgan’s Quay, the team is driving day-to-day delivery on a programme that is both technically complex and critical to Cork’s future growth.
 
Alstom has been present in Ireland for over 20 years and is currently manufacturing a new fleet of battery-electric trains for Irish Rail. Meanwhile, all 81 trams operating on Dublin’s Luas system were produced by Alstom.
 
Transforming Cork’s rail network
 
At the heart of Emmanuel’s role is leadership of the signalling, electrical and telecommunications element of the CACR programme. The scope is substantial:

• 78km of rail corridor being upgraded

• Around 1,000km of new cabling alone to be installed by the end of this summer

• 190 new signal heads to be installed by the end of the summer

• New power supply system to be made available before September

• New interlocking assets (axle counters, insulated rail joints and a continuous automatic warning system) to be installed before September

• New civil works, including 80km of troughing and 25 compounds

• Twenty-five relocatable equipment buildings (REB) fully populated with interlocking and telecom assets to be installed by March 2027

• 516 new balises and supports to be installed by the summer to facilitate automatic train protection

 
Alstom is also introducing the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 across Cork. Central to the railway’s digital future, ETCS is a train control standard, based on in-cab equipment that is able to supervise train movements, including stopping the train.
 
Much of the physical works for the signalling upgrades happen during challenging night windows – often between 11.30pm and and 4.30am – with teams working intensely to minimise disruption to daily services.
 
“The public rarely sees this work,” Emmanuel notes, “but it is essential. Every cable, every system installed at night contributes to safer, more frequent and more reliable services during the day.”
 
Engineering with purpose
 
As Project Director, Emmanuel leads multi-disciplinary teams spanning Ireland, the UK and across Alstom’s global network. His role includes responsibility for design, installation, testing, safety assurance, stakeholder engagement and long-term maintainability of the system.
What sets the project apart, he believes, is its future focus.
 
“This is about enabling growth – more passengers, better connectivity, lower carbon transport. Signalling may be invisible to most people, but it’s the brain of the railway.”
 
His experience delivering complex rail systems across Europe and the Middle East has shaped his leadership style – calm under pressure, collaborative by instinct, and uncompromising on safety and quality.
 
A long-term commitment to Ireland
 
For Emmanuel and Alstom, CACR is not a standalone project but part of a wider ambition to build a sustainable rail engineering footprint in Ireland. The programme includes preparation for long-term maintenance and support, ensuring skills, knowledge and jobs remain in the region well beyond project completion.
 
“Cork has the potential to be a real centre of excellence for rail,” Emmanuel says. “The talent is here, the ambition is here – and we’re proud to be part of that journey.”
 
As Cork looks to the future, the work happening quietly overnight – and the people leading it – are laying the foundations for a smarter, more connected city. With leaders like Emmanuel Boutard at the helm, that future is firmly on track.