Iarnród Éireann unveiled its new 80-carriage fleet in Dublin this morning.
The rail carriages, designed and built in Spain at a cost of €115 million, include CCTV cameras, air-conditioning and audio-visual passenger information systems.
The carriages are also equipped for wheelchair users, according to Iarnród Éireann.
The national rail company says the new carriages will increase the overall fleet from 64 to 144 carriages and will increase capacity on suburban commuter lines.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, officially unveiled the railway carriages at an event in Connolly Station in Dublin. The ceremony was also attended by His Excellency Mr Enrique Pastor, Ambassador of Spain, home to the manufacturers Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF).
The order of the 2900 series Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) fleet from CAF is Iarnród Éireann's largest single order of commuter carriages. Delivery began earlier this year, and 32 of the carriages are already in service.
The remainder of the order will be delivered, tested and phased into service by the end of the year.
The rail carriages will increase capacity on Drogheda/Dundalk commuters services by 43 per cent from 5,670 to 8,100 at peak times. Other services to benefit will include Maynooth/Longford commuter trains, which will see a 26 per cent increase in peak capacity.
InterCity-style carriages used on commuter services will be freed up for use on the InterCity system, allowing some carriages over 30 years old to be phased out.